Harry Potter and a New Arrival
by Mx-Kristian
Summary: A new girl transfers to Hogwarts after getting expelled from her previous one, Harry's about to find out that not only witches and wizards exist, but so do another species. NOTE: Based off the second book.
1. Transfer

**So, long story short. I decided I HATED A.N.A, and I'm going to re-write it very, very slowly adding a chapter every now and them...  
The reasons why I want to restart is as follows;**

**1. My first story was rushed, and barely had developed Krystal's and everyone else's character personalities.  
2. Some of the chapters were short, or messily set out.  
3. I had a few chapters and things that didn't make sense and stuff that didn't contribute to the plot.  
4. Krystal won't act like a stuck up bitch, she'll be defensive, yes, but not as little girly like the first one.  
5. Lucius won't be around this one as much, but he'll be here. (And he won't be as freaky, too.)  
6. Krystal's fairy powers won't be based off the Winx Club.  
7. There won't be fairy classes, or any other fairies in Hogwarts, this way it'll make Krystal more unique.  
8. Krystal and Harry's relationship won't be full on frontal snogging (because they're kids for fuck sake!) but it'll be cute and sweet, and things will... "Heat up" as the series goes on.  
9. Ron and Hermione will be in here more often, because I felt like I made Harry ditch Ron and Hermione for Krystal. They will be just like the Golden Trio, except with Krystal there as well.  
10. Well...The story was too random in some ways to be honest...When I look back to just about fourteen months ago when I started writing, I was really naive. Even though I'm not as good as some people in writing, my skills have really developed.  
If you haven't read the first one, then I suggest you do so you know what the hell I'm talking about, but, fair warning in the reasons above, it's really shit.  
Based off the Chamber of Secrets.  
(Just to clear some things up, today where the story is set is 7****th**** of October, 1992)**

**CHAPTER 1 - Transfer****  
**  
Krystal had always been tough. From the day she was enrolled into Red Fountain she was tough, mean and - in some ways- cruel.

She was responsible for most of the accidents in the Red Fountain campus. For example, last week she was responsible for the minor toilet explosion whilst testing a spell she read out of a book – resulting in three detentions scrubbing classroom floors with no magic.

Krystal-Mae Harmony was small, platinum blond curly hair with dazzling blue eyes. She was also part fairy, meaning she could transform into a fairy at will and use an entirely different form of magic.

She was only ten years old, but turning eleven on the twentieth of April next year. She had no recollection of her parents, although she was told they were dead. She was enrolled into magical education early because her magical powers were flourishing rather quickly, and had to be put under control – otherwise she could have become dangerous to herself and others.

Red Fountain was a school of magic in Australia. It was a hidden place only witches and wizards could see, and hidden to all Muggles.

But, if a Muggle were to look at this school, it would be nothing short of a military school for orphans – except with magic classes.

The girls at Red Fountain were mean – so mean and tough you probably couldn't tell the difference between the boys or girls.

Krystal was always in trouble because she usually started up a fight during breaks when the other girls would give her a hard time.

But this time, Krystal knew she had gone one step too far.

One of the other girls in her class had been picking on her shoes for being dirty. Krystal had enough. She was always picked on.

Actually, Krystal basically was the "Nobody" of Red Fountain. No friends, no shining talents and no social skills.

She was usually picked on a girl named Narelle Williams, a black haired girl with incredibly large front teeth.

No magic was needed here.

She swung around and punched Narelle in the face – smack bang on the nose. She never intended for the punch to be so powerful, but she heard a crack, plus a lot of blood was pouring down her face.

Narelle was screaming. She was pointing at Krystal saying "You bitch! My nose!" whilst trying to stem the gush of blood from her nose.

Krystal was immediately dragged off to the Headmaster's office.

* * *

"That's three fights this week!" Headmaster Jadeite bellowed, standing up behind his desk.

"I didn't start it!" Krystal said back. "Narelle Williams was picking on me – again!"

"I don't care what Ms. Williams has to say for herself. The point is, you gravely injured another student-"

"Her nose was healed in three seconds!" Krystal interjected.

"- and you must be punished." He finished, ignoring her disruption.

"I'll get my toothbrush." Krystal jeered. School curriculum was every time you got into a fight, you had to scrub the floors of every bathroom and classroom in the campus only with only your toothbrush and no magic – totaling up to fifty three bathrooms. Last time Krystal had to do that, it took her almost a week.

"Krystal," Jadeite sighed, in a voice unlike his own. The sudden personality change scared her slightly. "I'm going to have to be more severe in this case."

Krystal went pale.

If students got out of hand, they would whip them till their backs bled, or force them into slavery work until they puked, fainted or seriously injured themselves.

"I'm transferring you to another school." He said shortly.

Krystal deflated slightly.

It wasn't as bad as she expected.

Krystal looked up, and thought "_what?"_

"Which school?" she asked.

Jadeite smiled a small smile.

"Somewhere far away. It's not as though you have parents who care where you end up."

Krystal felt a pang of hurt in her heart – She always wanted a family.

"I'll be writing to the Headmaster tonight – If he allows you a place you will be transferred there in no less than three days."

Krystal stood up and nodded.

"If I were you, I'd start packing your things."

Krystal said nothing but walked out of the office.

He still hadn't answered her question.

* * *

That night after classes, all the girls and boys returned to the dormitory after dinner.

Narelle and her friend, Clara noticed Krystal packing her things.

"Where are you going, loser?" Narelle snapped.

"Away." Krystal said in a bored tone, shifting her clothes into her bag.

"Finally got yourself expelled?" Clara giggled.

Krystal turned around slowly to face Narelle, and pulled out her wand from her inside robe.

"If you don't shut up right now, your nose will be the least painful thing that's broken."

There was a murmur of "_ooooooh's!"  
_  
"Listen, pixie." Narelle said somewhat sweetly. "Your empty threats don't scare me. So why don't yougo _fly away _somewhere, and never come back?"

"How about you go to a dentist, bucktooth?" Krystal snapped.

She was sick of the nicknames she got for being part-fairy.

Krystal finished packing, closed her trunk and got into bed.

"Night, loser."They all said, giggling.

"Night, _losers_." Krystal snapped back at them.

They didn't reply.

* * *

The next morning, Krystal was told to go to head straight to Headmaster Jadeite's office.

"Well, I got a fairly quick reply from Albus Dumbledore. He said you're allowed a place." He said shortly.

"Okay...when do I leave?" She asked.

"Tomorrow, seven thirty in the morning _sharp." _

"Why in the morning?" Krystal said.

"The time difference."

"Time difference?" Krystal replied. "where the hell are you sending me?"

"Europe." Jadeite said.

"_Great..." _Krystal said dully.

"Good. Go back to class. Enjoy your last day of lessons at Red Fountain."

Krystal could only smile.

Last day at this horrible school! Last day of putting up with Narelle, Clara and all those stupid girls? Ha!

This wasn't punishment – this was heaven.

The day melted by quickly, much to Krystal's satisfaction.

Krystal didn't eat dinner, as she was too excited, and went straight to bed.

* * *

Krystal woke up the next morning, still filled with excitement as she had felt last night.

She looked over to the other three girls in the dorm still sleeping.  
_  
Last time I'll ever have to put up with their ugly faces..._

Krystal left the room dragging her trunk along with her.

Krystal knocked three times on Jadeite's office door.

"Good morning." Jadeite said as she entered his office. "And goodbye!" He said a little too happily, as if he was glad to be rid of this little pest.

Krystal was happy too. Unless this...Hogwarts was just as bad as Red Fountain, she had nothing to worry about.

Jadeite threw some Floo powder into his office fireplace, Krystal stepped into the fire.

"Hogwarts, England!" Jadeite said for her.

"England?" she said, but too late.

Krystal found herself spinning very, very fast down the fireplace, as though she had been sucked in.

She found herself rushing through a small tunnel and BANG, was on the ground in an unfamiliar office.

Krystal stood up, blinked a few times and looked around.

This office...had a friendly feel to it. The room was delightfully warm, unlike the Red Fountain campus, where it was _always _cold.

"Ah, you must be Krystal." Said a man's voice.

She turned around to see an old man with an extraordinarily long beard, velvety purple cloak and matching pointed hat.

"Er...hi?" Krystal said awkwardly.

Dumbledore smiled.

"I've heard...quite _a lot _about you, my dear. Please sit."

Krystal's face blazed hot with shame, but was so shocked at how calm and pleasant the man was.

She pulled her trunk across the room and sat down on one of the chairs in front of a golden desk.

"Sherbet lemon?" He offered.

Krystal stopped her looking around the man's office.

"No, but thanks." She said quietly.

He smiled, and popped a sherbet into his mouth.

"Now, I understand that you come from...Red Fountain? Ah, yes. Strict school, my brother went there."

Krystal said nothing.

"But, you...well, let's just say, are one extraordinary girl. I was sent your file from Red Fountain...magical education isn't meant to start until you reach eleven, but you're only ten?"

"Yes...sir."

"Intriguing." He said, and peered down at her.

"But sir," Krystal said shyly. "You understand _why _I'm here, right?"

Dumbledore was silent, but then said "Indeed I do. But I'm going to overlook your faults today."

"Oh..." Krystal said slowly.

"I understand you know the curriculum for this school?" Dumbledore asked her.

"Well...I'm guessing no fighting is one of the rules..." Krystal said nervously.

"Correct."

Krystal looked down.

"I never meant to hurt her..." She whispered.

"I'm sorry?" the old man inquired.

When Krystal looked back up, Dumbledore was wearing an expression of confusion.

"This is why I was sent here..." Krystal said miserably. "I hurt another girl."

Dumbledore peered over his spectacles at the small girl.

"Hmm..."

After a little while of silence, Dumbledore spoke again.

"Krystal, I'll have some robes sent in for you, but for now, you'll have to wear the current ones you have."

Krystal nodded.

"In this school, we have four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."

Krystal again, nodded.

"Each house has an extraordinary history. Now," He said, rising from his desk. "I'll have to sort you now, so you have a dormitory."

He picked up an old hat.

"Put it on," He instructed.

Krystal was bewildered at the instruction, but she did what she was told.  
_  
Ahh...I was wondering when I'd be seeing you. _Said a voice in her head.  
_  
You can talk? _Krystal thought.  
_  
Yes, I can...now, lower the shields in your mind so I can do my work.  
_  
Krystal relaxed.  
_  
Hmm...Interesting. You're strong, girl, very strong...You want to prove yourself. Show everyone that you're stronger than them, desperate for control.  
_  
Krystal opened her eyes. "What?" She wondered aloud.  
_  
Hush, dear. Let me do my work...But, I've found something good. You're a fairy...It's in your nature to help other people. You love, and you value others._

That's balderdash...Krystal thought.  
_  
I know...you'll make a perfect..._

"Gryffindor!" The hat announced to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore smiled, and took the hat off.

"Well done. Now, I'll bring in the Gryffindor Prefect to show you your way."_  
_  
They sat for about ten minutes talking to one another.

Dumbledore asked Krystal about Red Fountain a little more.

"I was treated like a piece of dirt there..." Krystal said dully.

They continued to talk about classes until a knock at the door came.

A tall, red headed boy appeared at the door.

"I'm here to bring the new girl down, sir." He said.

"Off you go, Krystal." Dumbledore said. "Your trunk will be bought down for you."

Krystal followed the boy out of the office.

As they walked down the dark corridor (which shocked Krystal a bit, as she forgot the time change) the boy talked to her.

"I'm Percy Weasley, Gryffindor Prefect." He said to her.

"Hi...I'm Krystal." Krystal replied quietly.

She was too busy looking around...the school was so old fashioned, but still amazing anyway. Shining suites of armour and banners of the different houses where everywhere. And, what shocked Krystal the most,  
was the moving paintings. Each one was very much alive and talked and moved around as though they were little films on the walls.

"So why did you transfer here?" The boy named Percy asked her.

"Um...I seriously injured another girl in my class."Percy stopped and stared at her.

"Alright, I'll forget you said that." He said, and continued walking. "But punishment here is strict if you fight with a classmate, or anyone for that matter."

They both stopped outside a painting with a fat lady on it wearing a pink dress.

"Wattlebird." Percy said clearly to the painting.

The painting swung open.

Inside was a luxurious room...and, if Krystal's eyes were functionally properly, everything had gone red.

Red wallpaper, red squashy couches, red curtains...everything. The room had desks for studying, bookcases and a crackling fire burning away.

"Head upstairs, and go to the right, and your room is in the door with the 'Second years' sign on it."

"Second years?" Krystal bewildered. "I'm only in my first year of magical education."

"Dumbledore thinks you should start from there, he thinks you can handle it. We've also supplied your books, but your robes are being made."

"I know." Krystal said dully.

"Everyone else is at dinner, so you have time to unpack without everyone staring at you."

Krystal said nothing but walked upstairs.

She found the door with a sign that said "Second Years" on it with a little Gryffindor lion underneath the sign.

The Dormitory contained five beds, bookcases, wardrobes and a heater in the middle of the room.

Krystal smiled at the room...it had a friendlier feel to it. The beds weren't small and rusty like the ones at Red Fountain, this bed was big, comfy and had curtains drawn around them.

Krystal found her bed at the back of the room with her trunk on top of the bed.

She sat down on the bed and looked around.

There was in silence for a little while.

Tomorrow she would start another life...different timetable, classes, people. She wondered if this was a good thing.

About twenty minutes later, three girls busted into the room, laughing and giggling.

They all stopped talking when they saw Krystal. Whether it was her different uniform or scared face that silenced them and to stare, she didn't know.

Krystal would have _loved _to have said "What are you looking at?" but she wanted friends, so she stayed silent.

"You're the new girl, aren't you?" said the girl with bushy brown hair.

Krystal nodded.

"I'm Hermione Granger." She said.

"I'm Parvati Patil." Said a dark skinned girl with long black hair.

"Lavender Brown." Said a girl with curly brown hair and brown eyes.

They all smiled at her.

Krystal almost forgot to introduce herself.

"Oh, I'm Krystal." She said gently.

"We weren't expecting a new arrival!" Lavender laughed.

"Apologies for the stares, we were a little shocked." Hermione said. "We didn't expect you to be put into Gryffindor."

"We'll show you to your classes tomorrow, so don't worry." Parvati said.

Krystal nodded and said "Thank you" very quietly.

"Night." They all said to each other.

For once in her life, Krystal thought something had gone right.

* * *

**Thanks! Please review! **  
**x**


	2. Run ins

**Sorry I took so long! I've spent most of this month finishing and writing the whole thing up and I've submitted it to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writers Month) And it's all complete so the only thing left to do is just correct it and prepare it for upload :)  
But I'll be uploading the whole thing soon, so here's chapter 2!****  
**

**

* * *

CHAPTER 2 – Run ins. **

The next day, however. Krystal's day wasn't as good as the previous one.

She met a few people who she hoped she would never have to have anything to do with again.

She had to put on her Red Fountain uniform because she still hadn't gotten her new Hogwarts robes yet.

As she walked with Hermione to the Gryffindor table, she noticed a lot of people staring, pointing at her or whispering to their friends next to them. How Krystal wished they wouldn't – it made her feel awkward enough.

"Ignore them" she said. "They're only curious."

"About what?" Krystal said moodily.

She didn't have to wait long to find out.

As she and Hermione sat down, two other boys wearing Gryffindor uniform.

"I'm Ron Weasley," A red headed boy said.

"Another Weasley?" Krystal smiled. "I met your brother last night."

"Which one?" He asked.  
_  
There's more than one?_

"Percy." She replied.

"Oh, Percy. He's one of my brothers." Ron said dully. "I have another four, not counting Percy, plus a sister."

"Big family?" Krystal joked.

"Yeah."

Krystal turned her attention on to the other boy that sat next to Ron.

"I'm Harry." He said, holding out his hand which Krystal shook.

This boy made Krystal feel funny. It was if she was looking at her entire life. Odd feeling...

"I..." Krystal said, but faltered.

She tried again. "I feel like I know you..."

Harry looked confused.

"Oh," He said, his face going red. "I must be everywhere...I'm Harry Potter." He pointed to his forehead which there was the lightening scar.

Krystal's curiosity didn't disappear, but she really wanted to find out more about him.

"Anyway." Ron said. "We heard you got transferred because you got into a fight –is that _true_?"

Everyone at the Gryffindor table seemed to stop talking and stare at Krystal.

She smiled a little bit with guilt.

"Uh, yeah. I did," She said a little nervously to everyone.

"What did you do?" Said a boy with a Scottish accent next to her.

"I..."

Did she really want to tell them? She didn't want to make a bad impression on her first day and scare people off.

"Harmony?" Said a voice.

Krystal turned around, relieved. _Saved!_

A stern looking witch with her hair up in a tight bun handed her a piece of paper.

"Here's your timetable. You've been put into advanced Charms classes, so your timetable will be slightly different to everyone else's."

She took the timetable off the Professor.

"Oh no!" Krystal gasped, looking at the timetable then looking at her wristwatch. "I'm already running late for Charms, I've got to run."

"Hey!" Said Harry, bewildered. "Surely you need to know where you're even _going?_"

"I'll figure it out." Krystal said quickly as she reached under the table to grab her bag.

"We can show you the way." Hermione insisted.

"We can't, if we show her the way we'll be at least twenty minutes late for Herbology– Charms is on the other side of the castle."

"True..." Hermione said thoughtfully as she watched Krystal run.

"Quite interesting, that girl is..." Ron said.

They both looked at Harry.

Harry was still staring after her with his mouth slightly open.

"Harry, wake up." Ron said, nudging his arm.

"Sorry!" he said quickly. "Daydreaming."

* * *

  
Krystal was running very fast – she attracted so much attention from everyone as she ran.

But as she was running, she didn't notice a man in front of her and she accidently pushed past him, causing her to drop her bag and trip over.

Krystal picked herself up and dusted her dress off and looked up at the man.

This man was different to the men she usually saw at Red Fountain.

They were usually fat, bearded and had no neck.

But this one had long blond hair, gray silver eyes and a black over cloak with black leather gloves and an outfit that screamed money; and lots of it. Velvet, fur and all...

"Will you watch where you're running?" He snarled at her.

"I'm sorry!" Krystal wailed. "I'm running late for a class."

He just continued to stare at her, raking his eyes all over her.

"What are you looking at?" She snapped – this man was making her feel weird. In fact, she was having the same feeling with this man about the black-haired boy at Gryffindor table. She felt like she knew him...

"Nothing." He said simply, raising his eyebrows and sniffing.

This man was very refined, and he looked as though he thought himself superior to other people – case in point, he seemed to think Krystal was nothing more but a piece of dirt beneath his expensive-looking shoes.

He suddenly said, "Where's your class?"

"Charms department." Krystal said through gritted teeth.

"You're going the wrong way." He said, almost sneering at her. "It's _that_ way." He raised an arm pointed to a corridor on his left.

"Thanks."

"Watch yourself, now." He said with a smirk that freaked her out to no end.

Krystal ran off. She didn't want to get on the wrong side of him again.

* * *

**Thanks! Please review!**


	3. Lockhart

**CHAPTER 3 - Lockhart**

To Krystal's utter surprise, those man's directions where right. She just made it in time for Charms class before the bell rung, signalling the start of class.

"We have a new student here this year," said the tiny man by the name of Professor Flitwick. "Krystal here will be joining us this year to take Charms classes."

Everyone stared at her, some people disregarding her with a glance and others full-on goggling at her.

"That's not fair!" a girl with black curly hair shouted, wearing Ravenclaw uniform. "She's younger than everyone else in the school! How come she can begin advanced Charms so early?"

Flitwick didn't answer the girl's question, though he did say rather sharply;

"Ms Boot, I suggest you continue trying to summon your cushion or you won't pass the Third year."

The girl immediately shut up.

Obviously he was instructed by Dumbledore not to tell anyone why she was here.

Krystal was ignored all the way through the lesson, which was an improvement seeing as she didn't have anyone staring at her and her different uniform. She didn't care – she was used to being hated.

* * *

Krystal sat down at the lunch table after Charms class on her own, reading some of her new textbooks, (_Wandering with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart )  
_  
"Hey, Krystal." Said a voice.

She looked up from her book.

Harry was sitting opposite her, smiling politely.

"Enjoying your first day so far?" he asked.

Krystal continued to read her book, not answering his question.

But Harry continued to stare at her.

"Is there something on my face I should be aware of?" Krystal said nastily after a few minutes.

"No." Harry said, shocked. "I was just asking you how your day was."

"Oh_, really_." Krystal said nastily, snapping her book shut. "Well, if you've got a problem with me, then say it!"

She stormed off, looking absolutely furious.

Harry was utterly dumbfounded.

Ron and Hermione joined Harry at the table about twenty seconds later.

"Where's Krystal going?" Hermione asked, as she tucked her bag under her seat. "I saw her leaving the table looking really mad."

"I honestly have no idea." Harry said. "She just stormed off after I asked her how her day was."

"Maybe she's a bit sensitive?" Ron said as he sat down and helped himself to the chicken soup.

"Yeah..._Maybe." _Harry said darkly.

This girl was quite an enigma._  
_

_

* * *

_

What was that? Krystal thought to herself wildly, as she stopped in a corridor some ten minutes later. _I didn't mean to get angry...  
_  
She hit herself on her forehead, her blood still boiling.  
_  
There goes your chance of being friends with someone, you genius.  
_  
She shook herself and looked at her timetable. It was still break for twenty minutes till defence against the Dark Arts.  
_  
I'll apologise to Harry in the next class, I suppose...  
_

* * *

Krystal was sitting outside the classroom door for the remainder of break, reading her textbooks until she noticed the other people of her class walk down towards her.

She stood up and looked through the crowd, trying to find Harry.

She spotted him at the back of the crowd.

"Harry!" Krystal called and went up to him.

Harry just stared at her, although he didn't have a stern look on his face.

"I...I'm really sorry." She mumbled, struggling to keep eye contact with him. "I'm not used to people talking to me, let alone being nice to me."

Harry's expression softened slightly.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"My last school was -"

The bell rung before she even got to finish.  
_  
Twice today I haven't been able to explain myself.  
_  
"It's alright." Hermione said as they all filed into the classroom. "We want you to be our friend."

Krystal couldn't believe what she heard. Someone actually wanted to be friends with her?

"Really?" she said, smiling.

All three of them smiled back confirming her answer.

The four of them sat at the back of the classroom.

"So...this class ought to be interesting." Krystal said, as she took out her parchment and quill.

"It's amazing!" Hermione said, breathlessly. "Professor Lockhart is incredible! The things he's done is just..." she broke off with a dreamy sigh.

"I'm warning you," Harry said as he took out his books and quill himself, "Lockhart's an idiot. So don't get your hopes up."

Krystal shrugged.

When the whole class was seated and settled, Lockhart, at the front of the room, cleared his throat for attention, and called the roll – pausing on Harry's name and giving him a wink.

"Harry, m'boy!"

"Harmony, Krystal-Mae." He called last on the roll.

Krystal put her hand up to get his attention.

"Very good, that's everyone." He said, putting the role away.

"Now," he began, with a small throwing back of head, to show off his hair. "We have a new student with us, as you've all noticed..."

Krystal groaned quietly as the attention was on her again.

"...and make sure you welcome her here." He finished, smiling at her.

Krystal just rolled her eyes.

"Now, last lesson your homework was to dazzle me with your skills of poetry..."

Krystal struggled as she stifled a laugh. _Poetry?_

"...from reading the paragraph of Wondering with Werewolves, and write your own poem about how I cured the man of his sickness."

"Are you serious?" Krystal whispered into Harry's ear.

Harry nodded with a bored face.

"All he's making us do is read his books...no practical work." Harry whispered back.

"Can you all please read the paragraph on page three hundred on how I slayed a particularly nasty werewolf while I was cornered in a telephone box?"

After a few minutes of silent reading, Krystal put her hand up (attracting more attention to herself.)

"Yes?" Professor Lockhart said, flashing an infamous smile.

"Sir," Krystal begun. "You never said here exactly in your book what happened when you were cornered in that telephone box."

"What do you mean?" Lockhart inquired politely, but looked slightly confused.

"You never said what spell you used."

Everyone was now looking at Lockhart.

He was looking nervous, but he covered with a smile quickly.

"Ha, yes!" Lockhart said loudly. "Your expectations are great, Harmony...Seeing as you come from a far stricter school, you seem to need to know everything."

Krystal was now the one confused.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"I'm teaching second years, Ms Harmony, not fifth years."

"So you're saying you can't tell us what you did because we're _kids?"  
_  
Lockhart was steadily getting red in the face.

"Not exactly...I mean, perhaps another day seeing as this was a thrilling tale."

"So you can't even tell us the spell you used on that werewolf?"

Lockhart was now getting nervous, and had a job trying to control himself.

"No, certainly not."

"But sir-!"

"That's quite enough." He said finally.

Krystal looked at Ron and Hermione wildly.

"Some teacher..." she muttered to Harry.

* * *

**I don't know if you've researched anything about the human body, but giving out kind comment to people's fanfics is good for your health! :D**


	4. Come with me, into the trees

**Righteo, I'm sorry for the **_**slight**_** delay in updating! The whole story's finished, I just have to double space it and correct it and stuff...so yeah.  
The chapter name and****some of the parts in the chapter was inspired by this song called "Stripped" by Shiny Toy Guns. It's an awesome song! Apart from the "Let me see you stripped down to the bone" part, then it pretty much relates to the bit at the end. I'll be putting in the song lyrics around the area where I was inspired.  
Please review x**

**

* * *

**

CHAPTER 4 – Come with me, into the trees.

Harry was really looking forward to the weekend – He really wanted to spend more time getting to know Krystal. Because, he felt like he knew her, as though it was from a long time ago. Krystal had also said she felt like she knew him too, which made it all the more important to discuss their past life together – maybe they _had_ actually met.

However, he was shaken awake several hours earlier than he would have liked that Saturday morning by his Quidditch team Captain, Oliver Wood.

"Potter! Wake up!"

"What's going on?" he said groggily.

"Quidditch practice, Potter." He said somewhat annoyed. "Only time I could have booked the pitch for practice."

Harry looked at his clock on his bedside table, yawning.

"At six thirty in the morning?" he said grumpily, getting out of bed.

"Yeah, sorry about that. The Ravenclaw team have got the pitch after lunchtime, which was the time I was hoping for."

Harry shrugged. "S'alright I guess." He croaked as he looked around for his cloak.

"Good man," Olive said. "See you on the pitch in about fifteen minutes, no excuses."

Harry quickly scribbled a note down to Ron as he was about to leave the dormitory.  
_  
Ron,  
Sorry mate, I've got to go down to Quidditch practice. You're welcome to join me when you guys wake up!  
Harry.  
_

Ron met Krystal and Hermione downstairs in the Gryffindor common room about an hour later.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"He's gone down to a practice session."Ron explained, handing Hermione the note.

"Oh...well, I guess we can take some breakfast down and watch?" Krystal suggested.

Ron and Hermione agreed, and they all left for the Great Hall.

"Should we get something for Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Probably should," Krystal said as she took one of the baskets of toast and a flask of pumpkin juice for themselves.

The three of them walked down to the Quidditch pitch, talking and asking Krystal some more questions about her life before Hogwarts.

"So what was Red Fountain like?" Ron asked Krystal eagerly.

Krystal's good mood almost disappeared instantly, as though a plug had been pulled as she remembered her incident with Narelle.

"Oh..."she started. "Well, it's...kind of cruel to children, in some ways."

"Are the punishments bad?" Ron persisted, making Krystal slightly, _very _slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, they're psycho if you go out of line." Krystal said lightly, as she bit into a piece of toast. "I was one whipped for not doing homework twice in a row – five lashes."

"Really?" Hermione gasped, almost dropping her piece of toast in shock.

"Don't worry." Krystal said lightly. "I wasn't marked, it was petty whipping compared to some cases, but Red Fountain gives you a great education. By the time you leave you're able to speak one or two different  
languages and you know a _heck _about wizarding history, plus you'll easily be able to become almost anything you want to be in your wizarding career."

"Ooh, languages?" Hermione said eagerly. "We only do Ancient Runes and Tea Leaves from what I've heard."

"Yeah, I took up Japanese and French. They were the easiest languages the school had."

Once they all reached the pitch, they all took seats in one of the highest stands so they could see the entire pitch.

"Do we really need to be up this high?" Krystal asked.

"Yeah," Ron said. "Or else we'd never be able to see anything that's going on."

Krystal spotted Harry up in the air, searching for the snitch.

Within a few minutes, Harry had spotted the snitch and had chased it around the pitch, looping through the other members of the team, and finally catching up to it and capturing it in his fist.

"Wow!" Krystal said in shock as Harry caught the snitch with ease, and clapped with Ron and Hermione.

"Harry's the youngest seeker in a century." Hermione said. "His father was seeker too, he gets the skill from him."

"That's so...amazing." Krystal said, as Harry caught the snitch once again.

After about twenty minutes of watching the Gryffindor team practise their new moves, more people with green robes and brooms walked out onto the pitch.

"Uh-oh." Ron said, pointing to the intruders.

"What?" Krystal asked him. "What's wrong with them?"

"That's the Slytherin team," Hermione explained. "Gryffindor and Slytherin are rival houses. As in, they're at war with each other."

Krystal raised her eyebrows. "How old-school..."

Ron, Hermione and Krystal ran out onto the pitch, as the Gryffindor team landed to meet with the Slytherin Team Captain, Marcus Flint.

"What're you doing here, Flint?" Oliver said, not so politely. "I booked the stadium today, you guys can clear off now."

"Got permission from Professor Snape to train our new seeker." He stated, in a very troll-like voice.

"Proof?" Oliver said coldly.

Flint handed him over a scroll of parchment.

Oliver unrolled it, and read out "_I, Professor Severus Snape hereby give permission for the Slytherin Team to Practise today, owing to the need to train their new seeker." _Wood finished, and looked back up at Flint in  
disbelief.

"I booked the pitch today! _I _booked it!" he said in outrage._  
_  
"You've got a new seeker?" Harry asked, distracted. "Who?"

From behind the six big muscularly figures, the seventh and a smaller boy was revealed.

Draco Malfoy.

"_Malfoy?" _Harry laughed, hardly able to believe it.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" Fred Weasley said, eyeing the blond boy with dislike.

"Yes, Weasley." Draco sneered.  
_  
Another Weasley? _Krystal thought to herself.

"Funny you should mention Lucius," Flint said. "He gave the Slytherin team a _very _generous gift."

The Slytherins all held out their brooms.

They all looked very new, and all were highly polished and cared for, and were obviously a very expensive make.

"Nimbus Two-Thousand and one, only came out last month." Malfoy said, carelessly flicking a speck of dust at the end.

"At least no one had to _buy _their way into the Gryffindor team; they all got in on pure talent." Hermione said stridently.

The smug look on Draco's face disappeared and was replaced with revulsion.

"Nobody asked _your _opinion_." _Draco spat at her. "You filthy little Mudblood."

The effect of those last few words was incredible – Krystal knew exactly what those words meant. And she was furious, she could even feel her anger burning up inside her.

"How dare you!" Alicia screamed at Malfoy.

The Weasley twins actually tried to attack Malfoy, but was saved when Flint stood in front of it.

"What are you going to do about it, Weasley?" Jeered Malfoy from behind.

"SHUT UP!" Krystal screamed, her blood boiling like mad.

How _dare _Malfoy insult one of her friends in front of her like that? Besides, what does it matter if she was muggle-born?

Without thinking, a _bang _came out of nowhere. At least, she thought she had. It was her; She didn't remember doing it, but one of her hands was raised and was pointing at Malfoy and a great ball of energy had left  
her hand and had very nearly hit Draco.

"What is going on here?" came a strict voice.

It was Madam Hooch, looking very displeased at the breakout.

"The new girl just tried to attack our seeker!" Flint said at once, pointing an accusing finger at Krystal.

"_You_ insulted Hermione!" Krystal yelled back at him, pointing at Draco with a shaking hand. "He called her 'Dirty blood'!"

"Gryffindor team, leave the pitch immediately. The Slytherin Team may stay to train young Malfoy here, he's the new seeker. Malfoy, I'll be having words with you later."

"C'mon, Krystal." Said a voice next to her, which was Harry.

Harry put his arm around Krystal's shoulders and steered her away from Malfoy.

Krystal was hardly aware what she was doing...but she cursed her stupidity of letting her power get out of control – she was meant to keep her being part-fairy secret! Would anyone recognise the power she used?

Would they know?

She desperately didn't want a repeat of Red Fountain.

"What was that?" Harry asked her as the four of them were seated in the empty Gryffindor common room a little while later.

"What was what?" Krystal repeated dully, as she re-read her essay for Charms, checking for spelling errors.

"Don't fool with me." Harry said firmly. "What happened after you shouted at Malfoy?"

Krystal smiled slightly, but kept silent.

But then she said "It's nothing, it happens all the time."

"Nothing?" Harry repeated, raising his eyebrows. Clearly he wasn't convinced.

"I just lost control." She said simply, but not looking at Harry.

She packed up her things and stood up. "I'm going to the library with Hermione; I need to find a book to help me understand something on my essay."

She and Hermione left the room for the library.

"Do you get the feeling Krystal's not telling us something?" Ron asked. "She's acting a bit...strange."

Harry didn't know. But he knew Krystal was hiding something.

No ordinary person could perform magic without a wand.

"It was a _lie, _Krystal." Hermione said as they weaved through the bookcases some ten minutes later in the library. "It wasn't just '_nothing'_, and you know it."

Krystal faced Hermione, fuming again.

"I was telling the truth, Hermione!" she hissed. "It happened all the time to me before, even before school. I just...lost control."

Hermione was still staring at her disbelievingly.

"Sorry." Krystal said quickly. "Not used to having friends."

Hermione just smiled and went back to her work.

"I have to tell you something, by the way." Hermione said.

"Mm?" Krystal said as she flicked through an old Charms book.

Hermione looked up at Krystal who was sitting on the desk next to her, letting her feet dangle as she read.

"Harry likes you." She said really quickly and quietly.

Krystal quite literally froze; her feet that were dangling carelessly were frozen, her blue eyes that were scooting through the book glazed over.

Krystal finally regained herself after ten seconds, and then said "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." She said, grinning cheekily at her. "He's really good at hiding it, don't you think?"

Krystal blinked a few times, then said "When did he tell you this?"

"A little while ago, but I knew before he told me. I could tell by the way he was gaping at you like a fish every time he saw you. "

Krystal went back to reading, with a small smile on her face.

"I can't believe Harry Potter is in love with someone like _me..." _Krystal said without thinking.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, confused.  
_  
Oh, shit. You're not good at keeping secrets, are you Krystal?  
_  
"I mean...a kind of person who got expelled from her last school. A trouble-maker" Krystal filled in pathetically. "I think I know what this means now." She said, referring to the book.

She hopped off the desk, and left, getting away from Hermione as quickly as possible before she let anything else slip.

Harry had to get his facts straight with Krystal. She'd only been here a few weeks now, but he noticed how attracted he was to her.

He actually started having a crush on her the day he laid his eyes on her. She was very beautiful, even though she was only ten years old.

For some reason, he noticed how Krystal seemed to leave the Gryffindor common room every time she got the chance, or on weekends at a very late hour.

Krystal also was acting very weird when either Ron or Hermione suggested they did something together like friends would do.

Krystal still clearly wasn't used to having friends, and was trying to isolate herself.

"Oh...I can't. I have stuff to do." She'd mumble, or suddenly "remember" something and leave the table or room in a hurry.

_

* * *

Come with me...in to the trees...we'll lay on the grass and let the hours pass. Take my hand...come back to the land...let's get away...just for a day...  
_

* * *

One Saturday night, when Krystal left the common room, Harry immediately shot up out of his chair and followed her.

"Where are you going, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Krystal's hiding something." He said. "And I'm going to find out what it you guys later."

Harry took his invisibility cloak and left the room.

Krystal was almost running down the path leading to Hagrid's hut, and (Harry gulped) she was heading for the forest. What was she playing at?

Harry, with no hesitation, followed her.

She didn't stop walking until they were both very deep into the forest. Harry was lost, but he had a feeling Krystal had been in this spot a fair few times.

She stopped once they reached the lake in the forest.

He saw Krystal cross her arms around her chest and mutter something.

The next thing he saw, _surely_, wasn't real...

Krystal had transformed! Not entirely, but she was changing at least...

Her entire outfit had changed, including her hair which suddenly became a lot longer than its normal length.

Her pink shirt turned a blue tank top that was just above her midriff, and her jeans turned into a skirt of the same colour and her black sneakers turned into boots that came just below her knees. Her hair had now  
grown mostly down her back, and almost touching her backside.

Lastly, purple sparkling wings grew out of her back.

Harry accidentally dropped the cloak around him in surprise.

He had no idea Krystal was a fairy...Why hadn't she told them?

Krystal turned around and gasped.

"Harry Potter..." she sneered once she was over the intrusion.

"Krystal!" Harry gasped. He knew Krystal was hiding something, but not something like this. "I...I didn't mean to...I just got curious..." he stuttered.

"So, you're the first one to discover my...secret, then." She said nonchalantly.

"Secret?" Harry repeated.

Krystal turned her heel, looking away from him, a took a shaky breath.

"I decided not to tell anyone here what I was..." Krystal said somewhat sadly, bus it didn't reach her eyes. She was looking away from her reflection in the nearby lake, as if she was afraid of it. In fact, it was almost  
self loathing. "My kind is disgraced in many countries."

"Don't talk like that." Harry said at once, still gazing at Krystal who was leaving against a tree, looking down into the water, disgust on her face.

"Like what?"

"I mean, don't talk like you're something disgusting. Krystal...you're..." Harry started, but faltered.

"I'm what?" Krystal hissed, taking a step towards him. "A half-breed? A pathetic little pixie?"

"No!" Harry said, so surprised the way Krystal was talking about herself. How could she hate herself? How could she despise something so stunning, so breathtaking?

"I mean...you're...beautiful." Harry said breathlessly.

Krystal froze in place, hardly daring to believe what Harry had just told him.

"So," She said after a little while, a bit of a mean smirk on her face. "Harry Potter likes mean girls."

Harry looked back at her, his face growing hot.

"Harry Potter," she continued on, a little bit nastily "Likes girls that beat up other girls. Harry Potter likes a girl that kills animals to relive anger and stress."

Krystal was taking steps towards him. They were now very close, too close. Almost nose to nose.

"Harry," Krystal said. "I know that you like me."

Harry nodded.

"But, you can't be with me." Krystal said, taking a step back. "I'm dangerous. To myself and especially to others. You saw what I nearly did to that boy, Malloy or whatever his name is."

"Malfoy." Harry corrected.

"Whatever. You saw how I nearly fried him! But the point is Harry; you have got to stay away from me, before I hurt you or anyone close to you."

Harry shook his head.

"I couldn't do that, Krystal." Harry said, taking a step towards her.

Krystal again, took a step back.

"I said, stay away from me!" she said, more forcefully.

Harry shook his head.

"Please, hear me out." Harry begged.

"No, you hear _me _out!" Krystal said angrily. She suddenly jumped and kicked off from the ground, and with her wings forcefully lifting her up with incredible strength, she flew up into a nearby branch, but close  
enough so Harry could still hear her talking.

"Do you not even _know_ what I'm capable of?" Krystal said, her voice shaking.

Harry shook his head, again.

"I've killed things before, such as animals out of fury. Out of loss of control."

Harry's heart hurt at these words Krystal was saying. He couldn't imagine Krystal _killing _anything. She didn't seem the type.

"I'm out of control, I'm a criminal!" She screamed. "I'm designed to kill!"

Then she raised her hand and shot a spell at a nearby tree and she destroyed it with a single shot, causing the tree to fall and almost crush Harry, who had to duck out of the way to avoid being struck.

But, she went on.

"I was transferred here because I hurt another girl in my class." Krystal said spitefully.

"One of your friends?" Harry asked.

Krystal shook her head. "Friends? Pah! I had no friends in my last school, Harry. I was a loser, an exile."

Harry felt so bad for Krystal – who on Earth deserved to be deserted like that? Especially to someone like Krystal?

"Will you listen to me now?" Harry asked gently.

Krystal reluctantly nodded.

"You need to understand that you have _friends _now_. _I care about you, Ron and Hermione care about you!" Harry said, his face growing hot as he admitted to her how much he cared for her.

"The worst thing you can do to yourself is isolate yourself." He continued. "It'll only bottle your anger up more. If you're angry, you have to talk to someone."

Krystal opened her mouth slightly, but shut it again.

"Like me." Harry said. "I'm not much of a talker, but I do love to listen."

Krystal said nothing.

"Will you come down now?" Harry asked, he held out his hand for her to take.

Krystal looked down at Harry again, smiling a little bit.

"I guess so." Krystal said as she took Harry's hand and dropped out of the tree.

She and Harry looked at each other for a few moments, not saying anything, but just looking at each other in the eyes.

Krystal suddenly wrapped her arms around Harry's waist and held onto him tightly. Tighter than she had ever held onto anyone before.

Harry felt something wet and warm on his shoulder – was Krystal crying?

"Thank you." Krystal said quietly.

Unsure what to do, Harry rubbed Krystal's back consolingly.

"Let's get back to school."

* * *

  
**Thanks! Please review!**


	5. Voices

**Apologies for the delay, I've had to beta the story and everything. xD Enjoy, please review :)**

**

* * *

**

CHAPTER 5 - Voices

Krystal led Harry out of the forest, having confessed she was rather familiar with the path as she came down here multiple times before tonight.

"I've always likes forests." Krystal said softly as she led Harry out. "It's the one place in the world where I feel like I'm alone. Apart from the odd Unicorn I see...Beautiful creatures."

Harry didn't say anything, but listened to Krystal as she finally let out what she needed to say.

"You know, I was always the target, the stupid, ugly one that was picked on." Krystal said spitefully.

The thought of the girls made her crack her knuckles in anger.

"Well..." Harry begun nervously, eyeing Krystal's fists "It's good you're getting all this out."

Krystal shrugged. "I guess so, it's better than letting it out in...Other ways."

"I can hardly believe you were the one that was always picked on." Harry said, disbelievingly. "You'd never hurt anyone, or wish harm upon anyone...unless they, well, got on your dark side."

Krystal looked ashamed. "It's what I'm scared of becoming. A bad person."

Harry instantly stopped in his tracks. He looked at Krystal, and he put his hands on her shoulders and said, very firmly "Krystal, you're _not _a bad person, only bad things have happened to you. You're-"

But what exactly Krystal was, she never found out, for Harry had stopped talking and had frozen on the spot.

"Harry?" Krystal repeated, scared. "What's wrong?"

No answer. Harry was now frantically looking around the room with wide eyes full of panic.

Harry looked back at Krystal, with fear written all over his face.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, his voice shaking very slightly.

"Hear what?" she replied, nonplussed.

"The voice!" Harry said desperately. "It's gone, but..."

Krystal was now panicking herself.

"Are you _sure _you're alright?" Krystal asked him.

"Yes! I'm fine." He said, rather annoyed at the trivial question.

"Never mind, I guess." Harry said, after about five minutes of looking around. "It sounded like it was coming from inside the walls."

"What did the voice say?" Krystal asked him quietly as they headed towards Gryffindor tower quickly.

"Something like "_Rip, tear and kill...""_

Krystal looked at him nervously.

"I honestly don't know what to say to this..." She said.

As they entered the Gryffindor tower, Ron and Hermione was still waiting for them, asleep on the couches in front of the fire, while Hermione was asleep on top of her homework.

"Oi, wake up you two." Harry said.

Ron jolted awake while Hermione roused slowly.

"We're back." Harry said feebly.

"About bloody time, you two were forever..." Ron muttered. "Let's go to bed, Harry."

"You want any help with that?" Krystal offered as Hermione packed up her things.

"No thanks." Hermione said sleepily as she piled her load of books in to her bag.

"Right well, goodnight then." Krystal said as she headed, up the stairs and off to bed.

As she entered the room she had her mind set on talking to Hermione, but what would she think?

Krystal laid back in back fully clothed, but she wasn't sleepy, she was worried.

What where those voices Harry had heard?

As she heard Hermione walk in, she was about to ask her if she knew anything about voices, but she thought better of it. She'd wait till tomorrow morning.


	6. Shock

Double Update! I'm amazing! xD

* * *

CHAPTER 6 - Shock

Winter was here, and it was rough. Krystal, being used to having warmer weather in late October, was affected worse by the weather than most people.

Harry was still being made to train for Quidditch though in the harsh cold and rainy weather.

So, for the next week, Krystal, Ron and Hermione had witnessed Harry stomping into the common late in the afternoon with the rest of the Quidditch team soaking wet to the skin and splattered in mud.

"Wow," Krystal said in mock admiration. "You look fantastic."

"Cheers, Krys." Harry said dully. "I'm off to the showers, see you guys later."

"Have fun." Krystal said as he left.

Harry was just leaving from a Charms class on his own, as Ron and Hermione had been paired up to practise Cheering Charms, but Ron messed up on Hermione, making her incredibly depressed. So Ron had to take Hermione to the Hospital Wing.

He was determined to get to lunch as quickly as possible seeing as he was starving, but someone stopped him in his tracks.

"Harry Potter!" said someone very loudly.

Harry looked behind him.

Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor Ghost was gliding towards him.

"Oh, Hi Nick." Harry smiled.

"Long time, no see eh?"

Harry grinned softly.

"May I ask a favour of you?" The ghost said.

"Sure." Harry said. "What is it?"

"This Halloween will be my five-hundredth Deathday."

"Oh." Harry said slowly not sure whether he should be sad or happy for the ghost. "Right..."

"Well, I'll be holding a party, and friends all around the country are invited. It will be held in one of the larger dungeons downstairs. It would mean so much to me if you could attend. Ms. Granger and Mr Weasley are most welcome to come. Oh, and your new friend too, Ms Harmony I believe?"

Harry smiled. "Yeah that's her."

"But, I daresay you'd rather go to the feast?" Nick said slowly.

"No, I'll go!" Harry said quickly. "I'll come if you really want me to."

"My dear boy!" Nick said, over-joyed with happiness. "Harry Potter at my deathday party! I am so honoured!"

Harry smiled.

"See you next week, Harry." Nick said as he walked into one of the walls and disappeared.

"A Deathday Party?" Krystal asked him, as Harry finally joined her, Ron and Hermione at the lunch table. "What's that?"

"Celebrating the day you died." Harry filled in for Krystal.

"Oh!" Hermione said excitedly. "A Deathday Party! I've always wanted to see one!"

"Who the hell wants to do that?" Krystal said, rather surprised. "That sounds dead depressing if you ask me."

"When is it?" Ron asked Harry.

"It's on Halloween night."

"Halloween!" Exclaimed Ron. "We can't go, what about the feast?"

There were rumours spreading that Dumbledore had booked a group of dancing skeletons for entertainment on the night of the feast.

"You promised Nick you'd go to his party, though." Hermione said bossily.

"Yeah, yeah. Alright." Harry said sadly.

After not even half an hour, the four of them had had enough of the party.

The Orchestra had given them a headache, the food was rotten and Peeves, of course, was doing everything he can to make their stay uncomftorble.

"Let's go." Ron said. "I feel sick, plus we might be in time for Halloween dessert." He added hopefully.

The four Gryffindors had bolted up the staircase, back into the warmth of the castle.

As they were all walking up the staircase towards Great Hall, they all started to bicker about the stupidity of the party.

"I'm never going to one of those again." Ron said flatly.

And then Harry heard it again.

"_...rip...tear...kill..."  
_  
Harry stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall listening with every fibre he had.

"Harry?" Krystal asked him. "What're you-?"

"It's that voice again!"

Harry, still listening, followed the voice.

"It's moving!" he said to the three of them.

Harry, with fear and excitement in his veins, followed the voice.  
_  
"I smell blood...I SMELL BLOOD."  
_  
Harry, running down the corridor, said back to the three of them "It's going to kill someone!"

As they hurtled down the entire second floor, not stopping till they turned a corner.

"What was that all about?" Ron said, clutching a stitch in his side. "I couldn't hear a thing."

But Krystal gave a sudden gasp and said "Look! Up ahead!"

Something was shining on the wall in the dark corridor in front of them.

Struggling to the see what it was, they approached it.

As they were in front of the wall, the torches in front of them suddenly lit up.

There, for the world to see was a shining message written on the wall,

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened." Krystal read.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware..." Hermione finished, holding her hands to her mouth while Ron looked like he'd truly be sick, said "I think...that's written in _blood!"  
_  
"What's that?" Krystal pointed at the thing underneath, hanging from the torch bracket.

As Krystal went closer, almost slipping over in the amount of water on the floor, took a closer look.

She leapt back after about five seconds.

"It's a cat!" Krystal said forlornly.

"That's Filch's cat!" Hermione gasped. "Mrs. Norris..."

After a few moments of silence, but in shock of the message, Ron said "Let's go."

"What?" Harry said. "Shouldn't we try and...Help or something?" He said awkwardly.

"Trust me," Hermione said. "We don't want to be found here."

But it was too late; a rumble of chattering could be heard down the hall, indicating the feast was over.

And as the four of them tried to get out of there unseen, both sides of the corridor filled up, blocking their way, with chattering well fed people. Their usual, happy cheerful faces were all instantly replaces with either  
confusion, fear or awe.

Then, someone shouted from the queue;

"Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next Mudbloods!"

It was Draco Malfoy, looking very pleased at the sight of the immobile cat hanging by its tail.


	7. The Message

**CHAPTER 7 – The Message **

"That's my cat!" someone shouted, coming forth into the scene.

It was the caretaker, Mr. Filch.

His eyes immediately wandered over to Harry, who was standing directly beneath the frozen cat.

"You..." he started. "You've murdered my cat!" Filch was shouting, grabbing Harry's collar and practically spitting in his face. "I'll kill you!"

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on to the scene, followed by a number of other teachers.

Lockhart had gone in front and detached the cat from the torch basket above Harry's head.

"Come with me, Argus," Dumbledore said. "You four, too." He continued, pointing at Krystal, Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"My office is nearest, Headmaster – just upstairs. Please feel free."

"Thank you, Gilderoy." Said Dumbledore.

As the group of teachers entered Lockhart's office, there was a flurry of movement from the wall – Lockhart's pictures of himself where all darting out of sight with rollers in their hair. However the real Lockhart was  
lighting candles around his desk and stood back.

Dumbledore placed cat on the surface of the highly polished desk and began to examine the immobile figure.

Everyone watched for a moment as Dumbledore prodded and poked the cat. Professor McGonagall was bent over with Dumbledore, while Professor Snape was looming around the back, clearly not very interested.  
Filch was sitting in a chair at the back of the room, not watching, but his hands clutched his heart. Lockhart however was gussying himself up in a nearby mirror making suggestions to Dumbledore, from torture curses  
to who knows what.

At last, Dumbledore straightened up and looked at the caretaker.

"She's not dead, Mr. Filch." Dumbledore said softly.

"Not dead?" Implored Filch. "Then why is she all – all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been petrified. But how, I cannot say..."

"Ask him!" Filch said, pointing at Harry. "He did it!"

"No second year could have done this!" Minerva McGonagall said.

"He did it! He did it!" Filch shouted.

"If I might say, Headmaster," said a voice. Snape had finally stopped lurking in the shadows.

"Potter and his friends might have simply been in the wrong place the wrong time." But his sneer doubted it.

"Why were you four not at the feast?" Snape asked immediately.

Hermione launched into an explanation of the Deathday party.

"There were at least a hundred ghosts there, they'll tell you we were there!"

"But why not join the feast afterwards?" The potions master said with a nasty grin.

The three of them looked at Harry.

This was when Harry had heard the voice.

"We weren't hungry." Krystal said quietly. "We were heading back to Gryffindor tower when we found that cat."

"With no supper?" Snape said snidely.

"Well, the food at the party sort of put us off..."Krystal said to him.

Snape looked around at Dumbledore for his opinion.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus." Dumbledore said.

Snape's expression was livid after Dumbledore's words.

"You four may go." Albus nodded, dismissing them.

The four of them turned into an empty classroom directly a floor up from Lockhart's office.

"Do you think I should have told them?" Harry said, squinting at his friend's dark faces. "The voices I mean." He added.

"No, Harry," Ron said immediately. "Hearing voices isn't good, especially in the wizarding world."

Harry nodded, but he asked "You guys believe me right?"

"Course we do." Hermione said quickly. "But – you must admit...it's strange."

"I know it's strange. _The Chamber has been opened..._What does it _mean, _though?"

A clock chimed from somewhere.

"Midnight." Krystal said softly. "We better get out of here before Snape tries to frame us for something else."


	8. Inspection

**CHAPTER 8 – Inspection.**

"Hiya Harry!" said a little squeaky voice.

It was Colin Creevy, a first year who thought Harry was some kind of hero.

"Hullo Collin."Harry replied dully as he and his friends walked down to Defence Against the Dark Arts together.

He was like having an extremely talkative shadow.

"A boy in my class was saying...you're – you're..." but he trailed off. The he said "See you Harry!" and ran off.

"What's he saying?" Ron asked.

"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect." Harry replied dully.

"People here will believe anything." Krystal said angrily.

The crowd thinned as they climbed the stairs to the next class.

"Do you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked.

"I don't know...but seeing as Dumbledore wasn't able to cure the cat makes me think whatever attacked her, wasn't...human." Krystal wondered.

They all shivered.

Harry, Krystal, Hermione and Ron where all trapped inside the Gryffindor common room a week later doing homework.

After the attack on Mrs. Norris was practically the only topic of conversation around Hogwarts.

"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short!" Ron exclaimed furiously as he measured his scroll on which his essay was written on.

"I can't believe Hermione managed to double the expectations from Professor Binns. She's got four foot seven and her writings' _tiny!_"

Hermione looked smugly at Ron.

"I'm nearly done." Krystal said happily. Harry was amazed at how fast she managed to do her homework.

"We were forced to hours of homework a night at my old school...no breaks or anything." Krystal explained to them, and shrugged.

"I love the relaxed standard here."

"Harsh." Harry said as he made his writing bigger to try and take up more room on his essay.

"Oh, do it the honest way, Harry." Hermione said. "That's a good habit to get into. Making your writing bigger will only make it look obvious on what you're trying to do."

Harry continued with his work, ignoring Hermione's lecture.

"I can't believe every copy of '_Hogwarts: A History'_ has been taken!" Hermione said sadly. "I _wish_ I hadn't left my copy of it at home. But there was no room with Lockhart's books."

"Why do you need it?" Krystal asked her.

"Same reason as everyone else, to read up on the Chamber of Secrets."

"Maybe Professor Binns knows something?"Krystal suggested. "He's practically the mastermind of History."

"Hey – that's a god idea." Ron said, looking up at the gang.

"I'll ask him tomorrow." Hermione said, dipping her quill in her ink pot, jotting down a few notes for herself.

They left History of magic class later, walking down a corridor chatting about what Binns had told them.

"Well," Hermione said as she looked down at her notebook; she had recorded as many notes as she possibly could. "We found out a few things we didn't know before."

"Binns said there's a "horror within", meaning there's some sort of monster in there."

As Hermione read out her notes out loud, they found themselves turning into the corridor where the attack had happened a week ago. The message was still shining on the wall.

"The Chamber has been opened." Harry read again.

They looked at each other, the corridor was deserted.

"Can't hurt to look around?" Krystal suggested, dropping her back and looking closer at the message.

"Scorch marks!" Harry said who was on his hands and knees on the floor. "Here and here..."

"Look at this!" Hermione said, pointing at the window next to the message. On the top pane of glass there were six or seven spiders scuttling along the top of the window.

Ron shivered and took a step back, looking horrified.

"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"I – don't – like – spiders." Ron said, looking as though he was going to make a run for it.

Hermione and Krystal giggled.

"It's not funny!" Ron said loudly as the girls laughed.

"But you've used them loads of times in potions!" Krystal said.

"I don't mind them dead!" Ron said, still eyeing the spiders carefully. "I just...hate the way they move."

Krystal thought it was best to change the subject.

"What about all that water that was on the floor that night?" she said.

"Oh yeah." Harry said. "Someone's mopped it up. Do you guys remember where it came from?" Harry asked the three of them.

"Yeah, over there somewhere." Krystal said, pointing to the door near the chair under the bloody message the wall. "It was level with that door."

Krystal turned the knob to open the door, and walked inside with Hermione, though the boys remained stationary.

"What wrong with you two?" Krystal asked them, halfway through the doorway.

"We can't go in there, that's a girl's bathroom!" Ron said. Honestly!

"Oh Ron, there's nobody in there. It's Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, so nobody ever uses it."

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" Harry and Krystal asked in unison.

"She's the ghost who haunts the girls' bathroom, so nobody comes in here anymore."

"She haunts a _toilet?" _Krystal said, with wide eyes. "Honestly, and I thought ghosts had better things to do in their time..."

It was the most depressing bathroom Krystal had ever set foot in. Indeed, there were her military school bathrooms, but this one seemed to have death written all over the place. It was dark, mirrors where cracked  
above the sinks and the floor was damp.

They were all very quiet when they entered.

Hermione went to the end of the rows of the cubicles then said "Hello Myrtle," very politely.

Krystal saw a girl with black hair tied back into pigtails and thick round glasses. She did indeed look very sulky.

"They're not girls..." Myrtle said as she pointed to Harry and Ron, whom were staring at the ghost very tensibly.

"No." Agreed Hermione. "I just wanted to show them...how lovely it is in here."

"Ask her if she saw anything." Harry whispered to Hermione.

"What are you saying?" Snapped Myrtle. "I _wish _people would stop talking behind my back!"

"We're not." Krystal said. "We were just wondering if you've seen anything suspicious lately. Because a cat got attacked outside your front door last week. You're the only person we thought of asking seeing as the  
professors here are pathetic."

"No." Said Myrtle glumly. "I was just sitting in the U-bend trying to kill myself."

"But you're already dead." Krystal said.

Myrtle fired up at once.

"Of course!" she screamed. "Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I don't have feelings!"

She flew back down into her toilet head first causing water to splash everywhere.

Krystal and Harry stared at Hermione.

"Oh, don't worry. That's almost Myrtle being cheerful." Hermione said, shrugging.

"Well, thanks for the marvellous display, Hermione. Let's go." Krystal said.

"Yeah." Harry agreed and was more than happy to get out of this miserable bathroom.

The barely closed the door when they left when a loud refined voice made all four of them jump in unison.

"RON!"

Krystal recognised it as Percy's voice.

"What are you all doing here?" He spluttered. "That's a _girls _bathroom!"

"We were just looking around for clues and things that might help us." Ron shrugged.

"Get away from there!" Percy shouted. "Don't you care what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone else is at dinner!"

Ron looks rather ashamed of himself.

Then Percy suddenly rounded on Krystal.

"I was hoping you'd be more careful, seeing as you were expelled from your last school!" He shouted.

"I just want to help!" Krystal said hotly. "We never laid a finger on that cat!"

"Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said to her, fingering his prefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you to stop meddling with things that don't concern you! And no more detective work, Ron. Or I'll write to Mum! And  
you're not going to enjoy getting another letter from her, are you?"

Percy stalked away.

"I bloody hate him." Ron said under his breath as they headed down to Great Hall for dinner. "How dare he say that to you, Krystal? I'm sorry my brother's a tit all the time..."

Krystal just snorted. "It's alright. I _was_ expelled from my last school and it was my entire fault." She said calmly.

* * *

Ron ignored Percy for the rest of the night as the four Gryffindors studied and did their homework.

Krystal was starting to fall behind slightly on her work as all they'd be doing was trying to figure out who the attacker was on Filch's cat.

Ron, in frustration from Percy, kept blotting his essay. After trying to remove the smudges with his wand, he ended up blowing up his work.

Ron shut his textbook and gave up.

To the other three's surprise, Hermione followed suit.

"Who can it _be _though?" she said in a quiet tone, as though continuing a conversation they'd been having. "Who on earth would want to attack all the muggle- borns and squibs in the school? I mean, _who? _It's sick."

"Well!" Krystal said in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know that thinks all muggle borns are scum?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy-"

"Of course I am!" Krystal said. "You heard him, '_Enemies of the heir, beware...'"_

"Come on," Ron added to Hermione. "You only have to look at his foul rat face to know it's him."

"Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin?" Harry laughed.

"Look at his family." Hermione said, putting her book away. "All of them have been in Slytherin for _centuries!"  
_  
"They could easily be Slytherins decedents, his father's nasty enough." Harry said bitterly, remembering the insult Lucius said to Arthur in Diagon Alley.

"They could have the key to the Chamber of secrets!" Ron said excitedly. "Handing it down, father to son."

"Well," Hermione said finally. "I suppose it's possible."

"But how do we prove it?" Harry said darkly.

"There's a way." Hermione said, and catching the gang's attention. "Only, it's very dangerous, and we'd be breaking about fifty school rules."

"Let me know when she gets on to it." Krystal said to Harry.

They both laughed.

"All right." Hermione said coldly. "What we'd need is some sort of disguise to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy some questions without him realising it's us."

"But that's impossible!" Krystal laughed.

"No, it's not." Hermione said. "All we need is some Polyjuice Potion."

"What's that?" Ron and Harry said together.

"Snape said in class about a week ago." Hermione stated.

"I think we have better things to do than listen to Snape!" Krystal exclaimed. "He tried to expell us."

"It transforms you into someone else. Think about it! We can disguise ourselves as Slytherins and get into the common room without him knowing it's us. Malfoy would tell us anything, then. He's most likely boasting  
about it right now in the Slytherin common room, if only we could hear him..."

"This potion sounds a bit dodgy to me..." Ron said uncertainly. "What if we get stuck looking like Slytherin gits forever?"

"It wears off after an hour." Hermione said, waving her hand at the trivial question. "But getting hold of this recipe would be difficult. It's in the restricted section in a book called _Moste Potente Potions._"

There was only one way to get a book out of the restricted area – you needed a signed note of permission from a teacher.

"But we can't, it'll look suspicious if we ask someone."

"I think if you just say we're interested in the theory we could stand a chance." Krystal shrugged.

"Oh come on!" Ron scoffed. "Who's going to believe that? They're going to have to be really thick..."

**

* * *

**

Please Review! :)


	9. Gryffindor Vs Slytherin

**CHAPTER 9 – Slytherin Vs. Gryffindor.**

Once again, the four Gryffindors were sitting at the back of Lockhart's classroom – bored as hell.

Lockhart was reading a passage from his book in _Wanderings with Werewolves. _He had picked Harry to help him re-enact the part where he defeated Wagga Wagga werewolf.

"Nice big howl, Harry, that's it!" Lockhart instructed Harry, while Krystal was struggling not to laugh.

"...and I put my wand to his throat and, with my last remaining energy, I spelled him. His fang shrunk, and fur disappeared. He was human once more."

Harry quickly got up and returned to his seat.

"Homework; write a four hundred word essay on my defeat of Wagga Wagga werewolf. I shall give a signed copy of _Magical Me_ to the writer of the best one."

As everyone left the classroom eagerly, Hermione, Ron, Krystal and Harry stayed behind.

"Just go do it!" Ron hissed to Hermione, who was flushing pink as she stared at Lockhart.

"Wait till everyone is gone." Harry said.

"All right, I'll go!" Hermione said impatiently.

Hermione approached the man sitting at his desk and stammered "Er – Professor Lockhart?"

"Yes?" He smiled up at the girl, causing her to blush slightly darker.

"I was just wondering if I could get this book out of the library. For a bit of background reading."

Hermione held out the piece of paper with book's name on it.

"But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section, so I need you to sign for it. I'm sure it'll help me understand something you said in _Gadding with Ghouls _about slow acting venoms..."

"Ah!" Lockhart said. "Very understandable, Ms. Granger. Possibly my favourite book I wrote. But most complex." [Krystal snorted]

Lockhart scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the piece of paper for Hermione and handed it back to her. "T-thank you." Hermione mumbled.

"So Harry, m'boy." Lockhart said cheerfully. "First game of Quidditch tomorrow, is it not? Slytherin versus Gryffindor I believe? I heard you're a useful player. I was seeker too when I was your age."

"Yes." Said Harry quickly, watching Hermione fawn over the signature Lockhart gave her.

"Excellent! I'm looking forward to it. And, if you're ever in need of extra training, I'm happy to pass my expertise on to amateur players."

"Right. Well, thanks." Harry said, and they all left together.

Once they were out of earshot from Lockhart, they started talking.

"I don't believe it." Harry said.

"I know, right? He didn't even _look _at the book we wanted." Krystal laughed.

"That's because he's a brainless git." Ron added.

"He is _not _a brainless git." Hermione whined.

Ron snorted. "Just because he favours you..."

They immediately dropped their voices as they entered the silence of the Library.

"Moste Potente Potions?" Madam Pince, the Librarian said suspiciously.

"Yes. We got permission from Professor Lockhart to borrow it for a while."

Pince checked the signature, as though to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. She returned a few minutes later carrying an old and mouldy book.

Hermione carefully put the book in her bag and left the library, trying not to walk too quickly or to look guilty.

As they were barricaded once again in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Hermione opened the ancient book and they all peered down to look at the damp spotted pages.

Harry understood why this book was in the restricted section of the library. There were gruesome illustrations of horrific transformations or of people with disorientated body parts, with intense pain on their faces.

Hermione found the page for the Polyjuice potion and read while the other three looked away from the book, wanting to spare themselves from the images the book displayed.

"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen!" Hermione gasped. "Lacewing flies...leeches, fluxweed and knotgrass...They'll be easy to get. But, I don't know where we're going to find powdered horn of a bicorn, boomslang skin...and a bit of whoever we're changing in to."

"Excuse me?" Krystal interjected.

"I'm drinking _nothing _of Crabbe's toenails!" Ron said in disgust.

Harry had something else in mind.

"Do you realise how much we're going to have to steal? Boomslang skin is defiantly not in the student cupboard. What're we going to do? Break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if that's a good idea..."

Hermione snapped the book shut.

"If you three are going to chicken out, fine! But I actually care about the school and everyone's safety more than school rules!"

"All right! We'll do it!" Ron said quickly. "But no toenails, alright?"

"How long will all this take, anyway?" Krystal asked Hermione, as she opened the book again.

"Well, the lacewings have to be stewed for twenty one days, and the knotgrass has to be picked at the full moon, so I'd say in about five weeks, if we can get all the ingredients soon that is."

"Five weeks!" Ron said.

Hermione nodded. "It's the best plan we've got."

Ron looked over at Harry and said "It'll be easier if you just knock Draco off his broom tomorrow."

* * *

Harry found the Gryffindor team huddled at the end of the table at breakfast early the next morning.  
Neither one of them talked much, but Oliver said "They might have better brooms, no point in denying it, but we have better people on ours. We've been trainer harder and longer than them."

Chest heaving, Oliver turned to Harry and said "Show them that it takes more than having a rich father to being a good seeker. Get that snitch, or die trying."

"No pressure Harry." Fred winked at him.

As eleven o'clock dawned, the school made its way over to the Quidditch pitch.

Harry was trembling as he and the team walked down onto the pitch. A roaring of applause and cheers greeted them but then they were drowned out by "boooos!" by the Slytherin supporters.

When Madam Hooch blew the whistle, the team kicked up and flew high up into the air.

Harry didn't have to look around long to see for himself that the Slytherin team were indeed seven blurs of speed flying through the air.

How could they win like this?

"Alright there scarhead?" Draco Malfoy said as he flew around Harry, showing off the speed of his broom.

Harry didn't reply because at that moment, a bludger had hurled towards him and Harry had to duck to save himself from being clobbered.

George Weasley came to his rescue as he flew past Harry and gave it a good belt with his club into the direction of Adrien Pucey, the Slytherin keeper.

But to no avail as the bludger turned _mid-air _back towards Harry.

"Go on, Harry! I'll try to get it!" George said loudly as he flew behind Harry.

Fred teamed up with George and waited for the bludger on the other side of the field.

Fred swung for the bludger with all his might to knock it off -course.

"I'll call for time-out!" George said.

Wood got the message.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the Gryffindor team huddled together on the ground.

"What's goin' on?" Oliver said. "Fred, George, where were you when that bludger stopped Angelina from scoring?"

"We where twenty feet above you trying to save Harry, Wood! There's a bludger fixed on Harry! It won't leave him alone!"

"Do you reckon the Slytherins fixed it?" Harry suggested.

"They've been locked in Hooch's office!" Wood said.

"Don't worry about it." Harry said thickly. "I'll deal with the damn thing – let Fred and George worry about the others."

"Don't be thick!" Fred said.

"No, seriously, I'll be fine." Harry said firmly.

Madam Hooch joined them. "Ready to resume play?" She asked.

Oliver nodded.

"Let's go, team." Oliver said confidently. "We've got a game to finish and win."

Harry hopped back on his Nimbus, and kicked off the ground with the rest of the team.

"Good luck, Harry." George said.

Harry could only nod.

After about a minute of gameplay, he could hear the mad bludger coming towards him.

He dived and twirled and anything that came to mind to try to get away from the bludger.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" Draco laughed at him. While Draco was busy laughing at Harry's moments, he saw a glittery gold blur rushed past Malfoy's ear. The Golden Snitch.

Harry dived for the snitch, and Draco seemed to recognise what he was about to do.

"No, Potter!" Draco screamed as they both suddenly chased after it.

Harry was closest to the snitch, and he reached his arm out to catch it.

But as his right arm was about to close around the snitch, the rogue bludger had hit him right on his extended arm, breaking the bone.

"ARGH!" Harry screamed in pain, feeling his arm dangle uselessly by his side.

Harry, still in the air, and trying not to pass out from pain, caught up to Malfoy once again, and beat him to the snitch.

But with only his legs on the broom, Harry swerved and hit the muddy ground and fainted.

* * *

Harry woke up about five minutes later after many calls of his classmates and his team. He groggily opened his eyes and tried to sit up on the ground.

"Well done, Harry!" Oliver said. "Your best catch, I reckon."

"Thanks, Oliver." Harry smiled.

"That goddamn bludger is being put right." Fred said angrily.

"Damn thing broke my arm." Harry said.

"Not to worry, Harry." Said a high, cheery voice next to him. "I'm going to mend your arm right away!"

It was Lockhart, beaming over the top of him with his perfectly white teeth glimmering.

"Oh, no...Not you!" Harry said, trying to get help to stand up, but he was pushed back down by Lockhart.

Harry from the thicket of legs around him heard clicking.

Colin Creevy was taking photos of him madly while Harry was screaming out of pain and frustration in the mud.

"I don't want a photo of this Colin!" Harry shouted.

Lockhart twirled his wand and then pointed it at Harry's arm.

A bit flash of blue light and Harry looked away. He had the right to be quite afraid for his sanity because he heard many gasps and a scream from Krystal.

"Ah...yes, that can happen sometimes. Miss Harmony, would you mind toddling Potter up to the hospital wing?" Lockhart said.

Harry took a deep breath and looked at his arm. He nearly passed out again at the sight of it.

It looked like a rubber piece of flesh. All the bones must have disappeared.

* * *

"Oh God, Harry..."Krystal said making a sling up for him out of her scarf and they walked up to the castle.

Krystal's sling made it easier; he didn't have to put up with the strange feeling of his arm flopping around.  
Colin was taking photos of him as if it was a paparazzi. "Go away, Colin!" Harry managed to say, he felt so dizzy and felt like he was about to be sick. Harry stopped, and gasped for breath and fell down, he knew no more.

"How can you stick up for him now Hermione? Look at the state he's in!" Harry heard Ron's voice.  
Harry started to slowly open his eyes.

It was quite dark. Hermione and Ron where at the end of his bed, clearly just finished having an argument.

"Are you alright?" said a voice next to him.

It was Krystal, who was sitting in a stool beside his bed.

Harry nodded and tried to sit up, but he suddenly felt intense pain running through his arm.

"The matron gave you a potion while you were asleep. So, your bones are steadily growing back now."

Harry's eyes watered at the pain.

"It hurts." He said miserably. "How the hell am I supposed to _sleep_ tonight?"

After Harry said this, the matron came over to shoo them away so Harry could get some peace and rest.

Hermione looked back at Harry and said "If you think this is bad, the Polyjuice potion is going to be a lot worse."

"Listen, 'Mione, I'm trying not to think about that." Harry said miserably.

"We'll see you in the common room tomorrow, Harry." Krystal said quietly.

* * *

Several hours later, Harry suddenly sat up as he woke up later that night. He looked down at his arm.

It still didn't look any different to the rubber piece of flesh when he first had his bones removed, but he could painfully feel his bones re-growing inside his arm. It was like having live insects crawling through his arm, biting every now and then.

Harry thought it was the stabbing pains in his arm that has roused him, but whispering voices not so far away from his bed.

"Another attack," came the morose voice of Dumbledore. "Minerva found him in the corridor downstairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him." informed Professor McGonagall. "I think he was trying to sneak up to visit Potter."  
There was a pause, then "Petrified?" said Madam Pomfry, the matron.

"Yes." Said Dumbledore.

Harry slowly raised his head and opened his eyes a crack to see who it was.

It was Colin Creevy.

He was holding his arms in front of him, as if he was holding his camera, but with a look of pure shock and terror all over his face.

"What does this _mean_, Albus?" Madam Pomfry asked.

"It means, the Chamber of Secrets has indeed been opened, again."

"But…_how?" _

"The question is not how, it is why," Dumbledore said.

From the look of confusion on Minerva's face, Harry had understood as much as she had.


	10. Disruptions

**CHAPTER 10 – Disruptions**

Harry was visited by Krystal the following morning in the Hospital Wing. Harry had made a full recovery in twenty four, very painful hours.

"Hermione told me to tell you that we are meeting her in moaning Myrtle's bathroom during break.

We've figured out a plan and we've gotten started. We just need to fill you in." Krystal said, very quickly and quietly.

"Okay."Harry said uncertainly, as he was testing his new bones; they were very stiff and hard to use.

"Don't worry Harry; we'll have Draco just after Christmas." Krystal winked.

Krystal stayed with Harry until the first lesson started, and she jumped up immediately, realising she was running a bit behind the clock.

"I'm sorry, I'm running late!" Krystal said as she picked up her bag. "I'll see you at break!"  
She ran out of the Hospital wing at full speed.

* * *

Krystal ran at top speed along the corridor, having half a mind to use magic to get to her lesson.

She stopped as she spotted what looked like a card on the ground in the middle of the corridor.

"Huh?" she wondered and went to pick it up.

It was an ID tag for the Ministry of Magic.

She saw a picture of the long blond haired man she saw on her first day. She didn't like him at all.

"Eww..." She muttered.

She looked at the name, but it seemed to be an old fashioned one and had difficulty reading it.

"L...L...what?" She said to herself as she couldn't read the name.

"Lucius Malfoy." Said a voice coldly.

Krystal looked up.

"Why are you always rabbiting around where I am?" The blond man said nastily and snatched the tag off her.

"I'm just going to class!"

"Besides," Lucius said, showing her the card. "This is basic English. You should be able to read it. Or didn't your pathetic school teach you?"

"I can read just fine!" Krystal snapped at him.

"Whatever you say, Tinkerbelle." And stalked off.

"It's Krystal! Krystal, Krystal, Krystal!" She yelled at him.  
_  
Great...now I know that disgusting guy's name...  


* * *

_Krystal made her way down to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She went to second last cubicle and knocked on the door three times.

"It's only me." Krystal said.

She sat with Ron and Hermione, and waited for Harry.

"I reckon Draco was so pissed off at Harry that he took it out on Colin yesterday."Krystal said bitterly.

"Yeah, seeing as he couldn't play seeker to save his own life he thought he'd set whatever the hell is down in the Chamber of Secrets on Colin."Ron said smirking.

A knock at the toilet door came.

Krystal, Hermione and Ron all jumped, scared out of their wits. Krystal decided to brave the situation. "Nobody ordered a pizza did they?"She said as she went to get the door.

Krystal sighed with relief. It was just Harry, smiling his beautiful smile Krystal just loved.

"Having a bitch about Draco?"Said Harry giving Krystal a hug.

"Any news?"Harry asked as he eyed Hermione making the potion he was dreading.

"No...Just so you know, Malfoy is staying for Christmas." Hermione said. "Oh my."

"What?"Ron and Harry said together.

"I just remembered. We're missing some ingredients for the potion."

Krystal groaned and face-palmed. "What? And now we can't interrogate Draco?"

"No...We just need to get into Snape's private stores. He's got everything we need." Hermione said happily.

"Okay...Tomorrow we've got the bastard for a double session, we've got plenty of time to distract him and get the ingredients we need." Krystal said.

"And how do you suggest we do that?"Ron asked.

"Simple, we go to your brothers and ask what is recommended for a good ten minute diversion.  
Seeing as they are the masterminds in that kind of thing."Krystal said at once.

Krystal had the liberty of meeting Fred and George the other week, after they had stolen her transfiguration text book and turned it into a book-monster which had grown teeth and ripped her bag apart during a transfiguration lesson. Minerva had blamed her for the incident, and given her a lot of homework.

Ron looked thoughtful.

"Yeah, I can go ask them if you want. They'll have stuff like fireworks you set off with a jab of your wand and anything else you can imagine." Ron said with a grin.

"So who's going to steal the ingredients?" Harry added slowly.

There was a strange silence.

"I think I better do it." Said Hermione nonchalantly.

"It's not like any of us were going to volunteer." Krystal said.

"I would have gladly have been the one stealing the ingredients' then getting myself in trouble in Snape's class!" Ron said.

"Well, none of you have got a clean record. Harry, Ron, you two flew a flying car to school and you'll most likely be expelled if you're caught doing anything like that again. And _defiantly_ not Krystal seeing as she was expelled from her last school."

"I've had a thing for blowing up things since my first week of school." Krystal said cheekily.

"Okay then. Krystal and Harry set up a diversion together, seeing as you two always work together at  
the same desk. When the diversion is up and everybody is distracted-" Hermione got cut off by Harry.

"_Everybody?"_ Harry asked dimly.

"Yes, _everybody_ Harry, while _everybody_ is distracted; I'll go into his cupboard and help myself. When  
I've gotten everything, I'll need another distraction to get out safely. Ron, you can set up one for yourself, seeing as you sit quite far away from me, it can draw attention away from my table, so nobody will notice my absence. Then, I go back to my seat...and that's it."Hermione said.

"Okay...That's The Plan then?"Krystal said clapping her hands together, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Yes, all right, Ron? You need to pay a visit to dear Fred and George." Hermione said, writing down what ingredients she needed.

Krystal looked at Harry, who was a bit pale.

"Harry." Krystal said. "We're gonna cap Draco this Christmas, don't worry." Krystal said, giving his arm a squeeze.

"I don't know. This could all go horribly wrong." Harry said slowly.

"Harry." Ron started. "I think we know better than to deny Hermione's instructions."

Too true, Hermione was indeed the brightest witch of her age.  


* * *

Krystal and Ron had gotten hold of several fireworks from Fred and George.

"Hey there, Krystal." Fred said with a wink. "Enjoyed our little 'welcome to Hogwarts' surprise?"

Krystal smiled sarcastically. "Yes, I did. And so did Professor McGonagall. Thanks to you two, I have to write a one thousand word essay telling her how I managed to transform my transfiguration textbook into a monster with razor sharp teeth!"

They both looked quite guilty.

"It's alright though," Krystal added to them. "We need to ask you something."  
Ron stepped in. "Do you two still have those old fireworks you bought from Zonko's? Krystal and I were hoping we could borrow a few."

"Yes we do, but why should we lend some to our darling little brother?" Fred said.

"Maybe, to play an unbelievably funny joke on that slimy git by the name of Draco Malfoy?" Krystal said innocently.

"Alright," George said smiling. "How many do you need?"

"Enough to blow something up!" Ron said, laughing.

"That works fine with me!" Krystal laughed.

Ron and Krystal grinned and put their hands out.

"Okay, so you just need to give it a small jab, right here..."Ron instructed Krystal, showing her one of the fireworks Fred and George gave them. "Don't press it too hard or else it can set off immediately."

"Oh."Krystal said, taking three fireworks off Ron. "Thanks."

Harry had discussed with Krystal how to get Hermione a good ten minutes to get the ingredients they needed for the Polyjuice potion.

Feeling more confident, they set off for double potions.

"Oh my god..."Krystal said as she entered the classroom with Harry.

"You okay?" Harry whispered.

"Yeah, just keep an eye out for Hermione's signal to go..." Krystal hissed back.

After twenty nerve-racking minutes, the room was filled with various bubbling cauldrons.

Hermione caught Krystal's eye and nodded. Krystal took a deep breath and found one of the fireworks, and remembered what Ron had told her and jabbed it gently, and it started fizzing softly.

Knowing she had only a moment, Krystal conjured a magic slingshot out of thin air using her wandless magic, set up straight and lobbed it into Draco's cauldron. The potion splashed everywhere, on to people's shoes or faces.

Everyone who got splashed was either screaming in pain or had passed out. Some students had boils on their face, of merely had burns burned into their shoes or their body parts began to swell.  
Hermione quickly got out of her seat and went for Snape's stores. Harry was keeping an eye on the door had went through.

Krystal had a hard time keeping a straight face as Snape tried to control the situation.

"Silence! SILENCE!"Snape bellowed over the screaming students. "Who ever been hit by Draco's foolish work, come over to my desk and I'll give you all an antidote..."Snape hissed, looking at Draco.

Krystal couldn't believe that the blame was taken out on Malfoy! Not until Draco had fished out the twisted black blob that was the firework...Great, how was Ron supposed to use another firework without looking suspicious?  
_  
"Sir?" _Draco said. "So do you think I was stupid enough to put a _firework _in my potion?"  
Snape went over to Malfoy's desk and looked at the sodden firework. Snape's eye immediately went over to Harry.

"Whoever did this...I shall make sure that person is expelled..."

Krystal looked nervously over at Harry who was struggling to look innocent.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him. "I should have chosen something less obvious."

"It's ok." Harry said back to her. "As long as Hermione has a distraction to keep the attention off her."

Harry saw Hermione give the second signal for the next disruption outside the classroom door.

Krystal gave Ron the thumbs up, not knowing what Ron had in stall for Snape and the rest of the class.

Ron deliberately tipped over his cauldron and spilled his contents over the floor all over the classroom.

More students screamed and Krystal had to stand on her stool to avoid being hit with the contents of Ron's cauldron.

"Weasley!" Snape bellowed to Ron. "Detention for your foolishness, and fifty points from Gryffindor."

Ron groaned.

Hermione made it back to her seat, un-noticed.

"Well done, Hermione." Harry whispered.

Krystal and Hermione high-fived under the table.

"We're all set!" She said excitedly. "We'll be able to make the potion with no problem what so ever!"

* * *

The four Gryffindors made their made their way back to the Girl's bathroom, walking very quickly as  
Hermione was eager to start the potion as soon as they could.

"Well, I'm so glad that's over." Harry sighed as he watched Hermione set up her cauldron. "Snape knew it was me...I could tell."

"We still have to make the potion yet, Harry." Hermione said grimly "It's so complicated. I've never seen anything like it before."

"How long will it take, again?" Krystal asked as Hermione read the book carefully, following the directions.

"Now that we have all the ingredients ready, I'd say about two weeks." She replied, adding lacewing flies in to her cauldron.

The potion frothed and bubbled as Hermione stirred the new ingredients in.


	11. The Dueling Club

**Apologies for the use of text from the actual book, but it was needed to make things in the fic work.  
As you can see, I've removed a lot of my most popular and my least popular fics. The original version of this fic and its sequel was probably bad enough to become the next "My Immortal." [If you don't know what My Immortal is, it's this really horrible random fic loosely based off HP and everyone is either a Goth, emo or a "prep".]  
**

**

* * *

CHAPTER 11 – Duelling Club**

That evening in the Gryffindor common room, there was a new notice that seemed very popular, as many people had gathered around, chattering and laughing.

"Wonder what's going on?" Ron said.

The four of them finally made their way to the front of the massive crowd and read the notice.

"Duelling club?" they all said simultaneously.

"Nice!" Krystal said with enthusiasm, practically jumping up and down with excitement. "I love duelling, I used to do it all the time at my old school!"

"I've never duelled before in my life." Harry said.

"Never?" Krystal replied, looking very shocked. "God Harry, how the hell are you alive today?"

They all laughed really loudly.

"What time does it start?" Ron asked.

"Eight." Krystal said.

"Well, that's in ten minutes from now." Harry said. "May as well head down."

* * *

Krystal couldn't stop chatting about the Duelling Club to Harry, she loved duelling.

"...and then, BAM! I hit her right in the head with a stunning spell!" Krystal said. She was telling her friends stories from her old school with Duelling incidents. "She was knocked out for a good twenty four hours!

"Wonder who's teaching us..."Harry said as they entered the Great Hall.

A stage was there, instead of the four tables. And a lot of lilac in the room...

"Oh...I think know who now..."Krystal said, eyeing the lilac with disgust.

"I just hope to god it isn't-" Harry broke off with a groan. Professor Lockhart walked on to the stage, looking very smart and with a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Gather Round! Can you all see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"Lockhart said, flinging his hair back.

"Professor Dumbledore has given me special permission to start this little duelling club, to train yourselves up, in case you ever find your selves in a very sticky situation where you might need to defend yourselves..."Lockhart said flashing his teeth.

Krystal snorted, luckily nobody noticing it.

"Now, we'll show an example on the Disarming spell, _Expelliarmus,_ does anybody know what that spell does, yes? Krystal?"Lockhart said, his attention turned towards her.

Krystal again had beaten Hermione's hand to answer the question.

"It's one of the simplest spells used to disarm a witch or wizard, but it is possible to deflect it, using a simple shield charm."Krystal recited, as if she had notes in front of her.

"Very Good! Ten points for Gryffindor!" Lockhart said, amused. "Have you ever used it?"

"Yes. On one of my old classmates at my last school."Krystal said. "I had her knocked out for ten minutes."

The people near Krystal backed away slowly from her, nervous looks on their faces.

"Why don't we get you to demonstrate it, then?" Lockhart suggested. "Against a volunteer, of course."

Krystal looked a bit flushed and nervous herself now that she was put on the spot.

"Sure."

"Well, come up on the stage, and I'll pick another volunteer." Lockhart said.

Krystal walked through the crowd and clambered up onto the stage.

"How about you, Draco?" Lockhart said loudly.

Krystal's eye widened. This wasn't good – what if she lost control at him again? Just the _sight _of that boy made her angry...

Draco swaggered onto the stage, facing Krystal with malice in his eyes.

"Show him what Red Fountain is all about, Krystal!" Hermione shouted to her in the crowd.

She swallowed, and faced her opponent with her wand drawn.

"Face each other, and bow!"

Krystal and Draco bowed very slightly, though not taking their eyes off each other.

"Turn around, and when cue you two in, aim for _disarm only!" _Lockhart instructed clearly. "We don't want any accidents here."

Then, they both turned away from each other and walked to opposite sides of the stage.

As they turned to face each other from the ends of the stage, Draco had already shot a spell at  
Krystal which sent her into the air and caused her to practically flip right before she landed with a thud on the ground.

Many people in the crowd laughed and jeered at her, or gasped wondering if she was okay.

Krystal got off the ground and climbed back onto the stage and said "_Rictusempra!" _ Which was a tickling charm and Malfoy was sent backward, doubled-over wheezing madly. The blond boy could hardly move for laughter

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart said, shouting angrily at the pair of them.

Gasping and wheezing, Malfoy said "Serpensortia!" and a snake had burst out from the end of Malfoy's wand.

Many people, particularly girls, screamed and some of them ran for the door.

Krystal was frozen with fear, but stood her ground on the stage keeping eye contact with the snake.

Harry was eyeing the snake carefully, and he had no idea why he was moving towards the serpent. It was almost like his legs were acting of their own accord.

Maybe he wanted to protect Krystal? He wasn't aware of making up his own mind, but all her knew was that he was on the stage standing front of Krystal protectively.

"Leave her alone!" He shouted at the snake, glaring at it in the eyes. "Back off!"

Then it turned onto a boy in Hufflepuff, his eyes widened with fear and like Krystal, seemed to be frozen as the Serpent looked at him, baring it's fangs and spitting poison.

"Leave him!" Harry shouted even louder. "Get down, now!"

Miraculously, inexplicably, the serpent slumped onto the ground, still hissing.

Krystal, from behind him, shot a spell and made the serpent disappear.

He looked behind him, and expected Krystal to look relived, puzzled or even grateful. But certainly not angry and scared.

"What are you playing at?" said the Hufflepuff boy in the crowd. He remembered his name –Justin Flinch-Fletchley from one of his lessons in Herbology.

He turned and ran for the door and left.

"Freaks!" Draco said, with wide eyes on them both, pointing a shaking finger at Krystal and Harry.  
"You're both freaks!"

"Draco!" Lockhart said loudly. "That's enough!"

"But they are! First the new girl nearly fries me without her wand and now Potter's talking to snakes!"

Krystal tugged the back of Harry's robes. "Let's move – come on..."

She almost dragged Harry out of the Hall, Ron and Hermione hurrying alongside them. As they walked out of the room, many people darted out of the way of Harry; as if afraid they'd catch something contagious.

Harry clearly didn't have a clue what was going on. Krystal, Ron or Hermione didn't explain anything until they reached the Gryffindor Common room.

Krystal then pushed Harry into an armchair and said "You're a parselmouth! You didn't tell me that!"

"I'm a what?" Harry said, with wide eyes, clearly not there yet.

"A Parselmouth! It means you can talk to snakes!" Hermione said.

"I know," Said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidently set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once – long story – but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil, so I sort of set it free without meaning too. But that was when I didn't know I was a wizard and had magic..."

"I told you I was a-_a fairy!"_ Krystal said furiously. "We can't keep secrets from each other!"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never been to Brazil?" Ron said faintly.

"So?" Harry said impatiently. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"No." Krystal said immediately. "I mean, it isn't a very common gift you know."

"This is bad!" Hermione said.

"What's so bad with being able to communicate with snakes? Listen, If I hadn't told that snake to keep away from Krystal then -"

"Oh, that's what you said to it?" Ron said, his face a little softer than before.

"What do you mean? You were there, all four of you. You guys heard me."

"I heard you talking in Parseltongue." Krystal said quietly. "Snake language."

"You could have been saying anything." Hermione said. "No wonder Justin panicked, like everyone else. It sounded like you were egging it on or something. It was daunting, you know."

Harry gaped at them.

"I spoke a different language?" He repeated faintly. "But -I -I didn't realise! How can I speak a different language without realising I can speak it?"

Harry looked at the three of them, from one to the other.

Ron shook his head and so did the girls. They all looked like someone had died. Harry still couldn't see what was so terrible.

"D'ya want to tell me what's so bad about me stopping Krystal getting her head bitten off by a dirty great snake?" He said angrily. "What does it matter _how_ as long as Krystal doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"

"It matters." Hermione said in a hushed voice at last. "Because being able to speak to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol for Slytherin house is a serpent."

Harry's mouth fell open, hardly able to take in all this new information. Could it really mean what Hermione was getting to?

"Exactly." Said Ron. "Now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great grandson or something."

"But I'm not!" Harry said with a panic he couldn't quite explain.

"You'll find that hard to prove." Hermione said. "He lived over a thousand years ago. For all we know, you could be.

* * *

Harry was still awake around midnight, pondering on his wild scary thoughts in his head.

Through the gap of his curtains around his bed, watching the snow drift past the window nearby.

He wondered...could he be a descendent of Salazar Slytherin? He didn't know anything about his father's family after all. The Dursley's had never answered any of his questions, let alone ask them.  
Harry attempted to say something in parseltongue, but the words wouldn't come. It seemed he needed to be face-to-face with a snake to do it.

"But I'm a Gryffindor!" Harry thought. "The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me in Slytherin if I had Slytherin Blood."

Harry turned over in bed. He'd see Justin the next day in Herbology and explain what he was saying to the snake. He was trying to protect everyone from the snake, not egging it on. Any fool should have realised, as he punched his pillow angrily.

* * *

The next morning, however, the snow that Harry saw last night had turned into a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology class of term was cancelled: Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves over the mandrakes which she claimed was a tricky operation and wouldn't trust anyone else to help her. She really wanted the Mandrakes to grow quickly so that Colin Creevy and Mrs Norris could be revived.

Harry was fretting about this in the spare they had in front of the Gryffindor fire, while Hermione and Ron played wizard's chess and Krystal finishing her homework.

"For heaven's sake, Harry." Krystal snapped, blotting her essay for the fifth time and screwing up her parchment and throwing it in the bin nearby. "If it's so important why don't you go and _find _Justin if it's so important to you."

Krystal had been cranky since winter had come – she still hadn't gotten any Hogwarts robes and was made to go around the freezing castle in nothing more than her Red Fountain summer dress, sometimes borrowing Hermione's cloak.

"I will then." Harry replied coldly.

So Harry got up from the fire and went through the portrait hole, wondering where Justin might be.

The castle was a lot darker than it was at daytime, but the swirling snow outside had blocked up many windows in its raging storm outside.

Harry had passed many classrooms with fifth years doing far more interesting things than they were doing, and he had to resist looking in to every single room trying to find Justin.

He decided that he should try the library, knowing that Justin was a dedicated student, would be using the spare time to catch up on homework.

He entered the Library, which was unusually empty. It was completely silent, and then he decided to look at the back of the rows of books Justin might be hidden behind.

But sure enough, as he got to the back he spotted a group of Hufflepuffs with their heads together having a very absorbent conversation.

Harry hid behind the nearby bookcase, making sure he was concealed to everyone.

"So anyway," a stout boy was saying. "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Harry Potter really has marked him down as the next victim, it's best he keeps a low profile around Potter for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen to him ever since he let slip to Potter he was muggle-born. That's not the kind of thing you let anyone know, especially with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"

"You actually think it _is_ Harry, then, Ernie?" a blond girl with plaited pigtails said anxiously.  
"Hannah." Said the short boy solemnly. "He's a parselmouth. Everyone knows that is the mark of a dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to them? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-Tongue."

There was some heavy murmurings at this, and Ernie carried on. "Remember what was written on the wall? _Enemies of the heir, beware. _At the start of the year, Filch tries to expel Potter and his friend, Weasley for flying that bewitched car to Hogwarts. Next thing you know, his cat's been attacked. And after the Quidditch match, with Harry rolling all over the mud with his arm broken, Creevy's taking pictures of him. The very same night – He's been attacked."

"He's always seemed so nice, though." Hannah said thoughtfully. "And he _did _make You-Know-Who disappear after all. He can't be that bad, can he?"

Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, the Hufflepuffs formed an even tighter circle to catch every word and Harry was straining to catch every word he was saying.

"No one knows how he survived that night from You Know Who's attack. I mean to say, he was only a _baby_ when it all happened! He should have been killed. Only a really powerful _Dark _wizard could have survived a curse like that." He dropped his voice even lower, so it was almost a whisper. "_that's _why he wanted to kill Potter in the first place. He didn't want another dark wizard competing with him. I mean, who knows what other powers the famous Harry Potter could be hiding?"

Harry had had enough. Coming out from the behind the bookcase and clearing his throat loudly, he got their attention. If he hadn't been feeling so angry he would have found the sight that greeted him funny: every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they were petrified by the sight of him, and the colour was draining out of every one of their faces, apart from Ernie's, who's cheeks were now a bright shade of red.

"Hello," Harry said. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."  
Their worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.  
"What do you want with him?" Ernie said in a shaking voice.

"I wanted to tell him what happened with the snake at the Duelling club." Said Harry calmly.

Ernie bit his lips and then said taking a deep breath "We were all there. We saw what happened."

"Then you noticed that after I told the snake to leave Krystal and Justin alone it backed down?"

"All I saw," Ernie said stubbornly, but still looking scared "was you speaking parseltongue and chasing the snake towards your little girlfriend and Justin."

"I didn't chase it at him!" Harry said, raising his voice and shaking with anger. "And it didn't even _touch _Krystal!"

"It was a very near miss." Said Ernie coldly. "It was practically spitting venom at Justin. And in case you're getting ideas, my blood is as pure as anyone else's so-!"

"I don't _care _what kind of blood you've got!" Harry said fiercely. "Why would I want to attack muggle-borns?"

"I heard you hate those Muggles you live with." Ernie said swiftly.

"It's not possible to live with the Dursley's and not hate them!" Said Harry. "I'd like to see you try it!"

At this, he turned his heel and stormed out of the library, ignoring the disapproving look he got from Madam Pince.

Harry was so blinded by anger that he barely noticed where he was going. He didn't even notice Hagrid in front of him whom he bumped into.

"Oh, hullo Hagrid." Harry said dully, looking up into the large man's face.

Hagrid's face was hidden beneath a woollen moleskin coat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his rabbit fur gloved hands.

"All right there, Harry!" Hagrid said loudly. "Why aren't you in class?"

"Cancelled." Harry supplied dully. "What are you doing in here?"

Hagrid help up the dead rooster. "Second one killed this term. It's probably foxes. I was just coming

up here ter ask Dumbledore to put a charm around the hen coop."  
He peered down at Harry more closely and then said "Sure you're alright? You look all ho' and bothered."

Harry didn't want a repeat of the run-in with Ernie. "It's nothing." He said dismissively. "I've got to go, Hagrid. I'm running late for my next class and I need to get my bag."

He walked off, his mind still repeating Ernie's voice in a creepier, echoing version, making it sound a lot worse that actually hearing it for real.  
_  
Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he slip he's a muggle born...  
_  
Harry was practically stamping up the stairs which made him look like he was in some kind of weird army march.

He turned into a dark corridor – the torches had been extinguished by the cold and icy draught going through the castle.

Half way down the corridor, he tripped headlong over something on the ground, caught by total shock causing him to fall over and hit the floor.

He turned and tried to see what he'd fallen over, and felt as though his stomach had turned to ice.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the ground, rigid and cold. A look of pure terror and shock frozen onto his face, his eyes were glazed over and were staring blankly at the ceiling.

And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight he had ever seen.

Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal.

His face was identical to Justin's; Fear, shock and terror were all an understatement.

Harry shakily stood up onto his feet, breathing fast and shallow, and his heart doing a kind of drum roll against his ribs.

He looked wildly around the corridor and had half a mind about running. Nobody would know he was here...

But then, he couldn't just leave them here! He had to get help! But from who?

A bang of the door nearby opened, scaring Harry out of his wits.

"Why it's potty wee Potter!" cackled a voice. It was Peeves the poltergeist. He was flying madly around the room laughing and saying rude things and then he said "What's Potter doing lurking-" He stopped as he was doing a summersault, frozen on the image before him.

Before Harry could stop him he screamed "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATAAAACK!"

He heard crashing as he went through door after door and people flooded out. For several long moments, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin's frozen body was in danger of being crushed and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick.

Harry was pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet and control. Professor McGonagall came running, followed by her own class; one of whim still had black and white striped hair prior to being transformed into a badger. She used her own wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence and ordered everyone back to their classes.

Then, Ernie from Hufflepuff came running, panting on the scene.

"_Caught in the act!_" Ernie said, his face white and pointing a finger dramatically at Harry.

"That will do, Ernie Macmillan!" Professor McGonagall said sharply "Return to your classes, everyone!"

Peeves was bobbing overhead, grinning at the scene. Peeves loved chaos. As teachers bent over  
Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them, Peeves had burst into song;  
_  
"Oh Potter, you rotter, what have you done?  
You're killing off students; you think it's good fun-"_

"That's enough, Peeves!" Barked Professor McGonagall.

Peeves zoomed towards Harry, tapping him on the head and poking his tongue out at him

Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra of the  
Astronomy department, but nobody seemed to know what to do for the ghost which was still floating freakily. In the end, McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, which she gave to Ernie with instructions to waft Nick up the stairs.

This left Professor McGonagall and Harry alone together.

"This way, Potter." She said in a tone Harry couldn't read.

"Professor," Harry said at once, "I _swear _I didn't!"

"This out of my hands, Potter." Minerva said curtly.

They both marched in silence around a corner and she stopped before a large and extremely ugly and large gargoyle.

"Sherbet Lemon!" she said. This was clearly a password because the gargoyle suddenly sprang to life and hopped aside, and the wall behind him split in two. And behind it was a staircase.

Harry, still with bubbling fear in his stomach knowing he could be thrown out of the school still couldn't fail to be amazed.

He knew where he was being taken – this must be where Dumbledore lived.

**

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**

Thanks, please review :)


	12. Polyjuice Potion

**CHAPTER 12 – Polyjuice Potion.**

As Harry finally reached the top of the spiralling staircase, panting slightly, he reached a brass wooden door.

Unsure what to do, Harry knocked on the door and entered alone.

Out of all Professors' offices he had visited, this office was by far the best and certainly most interesting one he had stepped foot in.

It was a large, and very beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments were supported on stands. The walls were covered with paintings with old Headmasters and Headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their portraits. There, in the front of the room stood an enormous claw-footed desk. Sitting behind it on a shelf was a tattered shabby wizard's hat – _the Sorting Hat._

Harry hesitated on the spot. He cast another look around the room, making absolute sure that the people in their frames were asleep.

It couldn't hurt to try it on again?

Just to see...to make sure he _was _in the right house.

He walked quietly around the large desk and lifted the hat from its shelf, and lowered it slowly on his head. It was much too large and slipped down over his eyes, just as it had done to him last year when he put it on. He started around the black space surrounding his head, until a voice started.  
_  
"Bee in your bonnet, Harry Potter?"  
_  
"Er, yes." Harry muttered uncertainly. "I'm sorry to bother you – I just wanted to ask-"

"_You've been wondering whether I put you into the right house." _Said the hat smartly, as though he was expecting him to ask the question.

"Yes...you were especially hard, very difficult to place. But I stand by what I said last year, before..."  
Harry's hopes lifted. "You _would _have done well in Slytherin."

His hopes crashed like an air crash.

He grabbed the hat and pulled it off by the point. It hung limply in his hand, grubby and faded.

He pushed it back onto its shelf, feeling sick and queasy.

"You're wrong." He said to the hat, which remained stationary.

Harry backed away, eyes still on the hat. He felt like he was being watched.

A strange gagging noise behind him made him turn around.

He wasn't alone...Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird. Harry stared at the bird, which stared back at him. He thought it looked very ill, as feathers dropped out of its tail.

Harry was thinking that was all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die when he was alone in his office, when the bird burst into flames.

Harry shouted in shock and back away into the desk. He looked feverishly around to see if there was a jug of water somewhere but there wasn't. The bird had become a fireball. It gave one loud shriek and the next second there was a pile of ash on the floor.

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very sombre, indeed.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry gasped. "your bird – I couldn't do anything. It just caught fire."

To Harry's surprise, Dumbledore smiled.

"About time to," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days, I've been telling him to get a move on!"

He chuckled at the look on Harry's stunned face.

"Fawkes is a Phoenix, Harry. Phoenix's burst into flames when it is time for them to die and are  
reborn in the ashes. Watch him..."

Harry turned back to look over at the pile of ash on the floor. A new baby phoenix was starting to rise out of the pile of ash. It was quite as ugly and wrinkled as the old one.

"It was a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day." Said Dumbledore seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time: Wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures. They have tears of healing powers, and carry immensely heavy loads with ease. They're very _faithful _pets."

In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Harry had forgotten he was here for, but it all came back to him as Dumbledore settled himself in the high-backed chair behind his desk and fixed Harry with his penetrating blue eyes stare, almost x-raying him.

Before Dumbledore or Harry could speak another word, the door had burst open. Hagrid had entered with a wild look in his eyes and holding up the dead rooster in his hand.

"It wasn't Harry, Professor Dumbledore!"Hagrid said urgently. "I was talking to him _seconds _before that kid was attacked! He would never have had time, sir."

Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending the feather everywhere. "It can't have been him! I'll swear in front of the Ministry of Magic if I have to!"

"Hagrid, I..."

"You've got the wrong person, sir, I _know _Harry never..."

"HAGRID!" Both Harry and Dumbledore shouted. "I do _not _believe Harry attacked any of those people."

Harry turned a hopeful face to Dumbledore, feeling greatly appreciative.

"Oh..." Hagrid said quietly. "Right, well...I'll wait outside then."

And he stomped out, looking rather embarrassed.

"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Harry repeated, still feeling grateful.

"No, Harry. I do not think it was you." Dumbledore said and his face very serious. "But I still want to talk to you."

Dumbledore indicated a seat in front of his desk, which Harry took and sat down.

"I must ask you. Is there _anything _you want to tell me?" He said, looking down at Harry.

Harry didn't know what to say. He thought of Draco Malfoy shouting _"You'll be next, Mudbloods!" _in the corridor, on the night of Halloween. Then there was the Polyjuice potion simmering away in  
Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, not too long until he would be made to consume it. Then there was Krystal, who he loved. He remembered her shouting in the forest about her being a fairy... _"I'm designed to kill!" she shouted as she knocked over a tree in fury...  
_ Then there was Harry being able to talk to snakes at the Duelling club and how likely he could be a descendent of Salazar Slytherin...

"Anything at all?" a soft voice said, interrupting his wild thoughts  
Harry looked up, swallowed and said "No sir, nothing at all."

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had caused an uproar of panic to many students.

The thing that got Krystal as Harry finished telling them the story about Justin and Nick was

"What could possibly have the power to affect someone that's already dead?" She said, with her head in her hands.

They were all sitting in the Gryffindor common room, chattering about the attack and looking at possibilities, also discussing the plan for the Polyjuice potion.

Many students after the most recent attack sent them into a frenzy to book seats home for Christmas.

"At this rate we'll be the only ones left!" Hermione said.

"Us, Malfoy with his cronies and Slytherin's monster...what a joyous holiday it's going to be." Ron sighed.  
Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy's cronies and always did whatever Draco told them to do had also signed up to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas.

Harry, however, was quite happy that most people were leaving. He was getting rather tired of people pointing at him, hissing to their friends or expecting him to sprout fangs or spit poison.

Fred and George however had found this all very funny. They usually made a big scene whenever they met in the corridors in between classes. "Make way for the heir of Slytherin! Seriously evil wizard coming through!"

Percy was seriously disapproving the behaviour.

"This is _not _a laughing matter!" he said coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way Percy, Harry's in a hurry!" Fred said, pushing him out of the way.

"Yeah, He's nipping off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant." George said, chortling.

Krystal had always laughed really hard whenever the red headed twins came and made a scene about Harry being Slytherin's heir. She wasn't very used to humorous situations as she came from a military school where she was horribly depressed.

One of the only other people who didn't like this behaviour was Ron's little sister, Ginny.

"So, Harry!" George said, clapping him on the back. "Who's your next target?"

"Yeah, who's the next person you're planning on sending to hell?" Fred added.

"Oh_, don't!_" Ginny wailed at the twins.

Fred pulled out a clove of garlic and pretended to fend Harry off with it, saying "Back, beast!"

Harry didn't mind at all. On the contrary, he found it all hilarious. At least Fred and George found the idea of Harry being Slytherin's heir quite stupid.

Fred and George's antics also seemed to piss off Draco Malfoy quite a great deal.

"Because he's _dying _to tell everyone it's him." Krystal said, as the Famous Weasley Twins finally left the four Gryffindors alone in the corridor.

"And someone else is getting the credit for his sick, dirty work." Ron added. "He hates anyone beating him in anything."

"Not for long!" Hermione said happily in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion is nearly ready; we'll be worming the horrible truth out of him any day now."

At long last, the term ended. The thick snow had created an eerie silence all over the Hogwarts castle. But Harry found it rather peaceful, rather than spooky.

As nearly everyone had left to go home for Christmas, The four Gryffindors had the common room almost all to themselves.

Fred, George, Ginny and Percy had all chosen to stay at Hogwarts rather than go to Egypt to visit their older brother Bill.

The peace and quiet was blissful. Krystal could finally teach the other three what she had learned at  
Red Fountain and practise duelling in private. They could finally play exploding snap loudly in the common room, and even have wrestling matches on the couches, which Ron called "Muggle Duelling."

Percy had greatly disapproved all of their childish behaviour, and stayed out of the common room most of the time.

"If you hate our behaviour so much, Perce, then why don't you go home for Christmas?" George said loudly one time in the Gryffindor tower.

"I'm only staying here to support the Professors through this horrible and dark time!" he said proudly. "Seeing as I'm _prefect!"  
_

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Ron and Harry where the only ones left, and still asleep when Hermione and Krystal came bursting in waking them up.

"Wake up!" Krystal said loudly, pulling back the blinds at the window.

"Krystal – Hermione! You're not meant to be here!" Ron said, shielding his eyes against the morning rays.

"Merry Christmas to you too." Hermione said to Ron throwing him a present.

Krystal jumped on top of Harry's bed and tickled him through the duvets.

"Oi!" Came a bad-tempered voice under the blankets.

Harry sat up and grabbed Krystal around the waist and began to tickle her till she gave in and sat at the end of the his bed.

"While you two have been sleeping." Hermione said. "We've been checking on the Polyjuice potion, adding more lacewings – it's ready."

Harry suddenly sat up in bed, wide awake and alert.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"I'm positive." Hermione replied confidently, shifting Ron's rat so she could set at the end of Ron's bed.

"If we're going to do it, I would say it's best we do it tonight,"

Harry gaped at her, and suddenly, Harry's owl Hedwig zoomed in, dropping a present at the end of his bed.

"Thanks, Hedwig." Harry said weakly.

"What a beautiful owl!" Krystal sighed and stood up. "Well, meet me and Hermione downstairs in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom as soon as you finish up with your presents."

Harry nodded.

"Merry Christmas." She said, and gave Harry a small package.

Hermione and Krystal left the room, giggling.

Harry began to open his presents hastily.

Ron had given him a book on Quidditch, called "Flying with the Cannons," and Krystal had given him a homemade silver bracelet.

The Weasley's had sent him a large plum cake and his usual knitted jumper.

Harry put up Mrs. Weasley's card up on his bedside table with a fresh surge of guilt, thinking about  
Mr. Weasley's car and trouble he had landed him in, and the bout of rule breaking Ron and Harry were planning next.

Not one person in the history of attending Hogwarts could fail to not enjoy a Hogwarts Christmas feast. Not even if you were dreading taking Polyjuice Potion later that evening.

Krystal was finally wearing Hogwarts robes having being sent in that morning, which Fred had commented "Now you're finally one if the army!" Harry thought the Gryffindor robes have suited her rather well, and thought she finally belonged and had a place in this uncultivated world.

Dumbledore lead them in a few of their favourite carols, and Hagrid had become more and more drunk with every glass of red wine he consumed. There was also enchanted snow falling from the ceiling and little flying lights around the room, which Harry realised they were pixies if you looked at them properly.

Krystal had charmed Percy's head boy badge so that it read "Head Idiot."

It took Percy a whole hour to figure out what the Gryffindor crew were laughing at, and blamed it on Fred and George.

Harry didn't even care that Draco was sniggering and showing off his wealth with all the new jewellery he was wearing and his expensive new overcoat he was showing off.

After they had finally got their third helpings of Christmas puddings down, and Hermione ushered them out of the Great Hall.

"We need to discuss the plans!" Hermione said.

"Alright," said Harry finally after an hour. They had spent a long time that evening planning out tonight's plan for interrogating Malfoy. "So what's the plan again?" he asked, his brain fuzzy.

"So Crabbe and Goyle (the boy's Harry and Ron would be turning into) are bound to stay at the feast forever stuffing their faces. So they're most likely going to be alone when they leave the Hall."  
Ron and Harry sensed forbidding.

"And when they leave, Krystal will be outside the door ready to knock them both out." Hermione continued.

"How do you suggest she's going to do that quietly?" Ron asked.  
"I'll use a Knock-out spell." Krystal said simply. "Then I'll hide them both in the broom cupboard and  
take their hairs and I'll meet you both in here."

Harry nodded.

"Who's Hermione turning into?" Ron asked.

"Millicent Bulstrode." She replied instantly. "We got into a fight last week, and she put me into a headlock. After she finally let go of me, I spotted some hair on my robes."

"Well, that's good." Krystal said quietly. "What are you two going to do for robes?"

"We'll steal some robes in the laundry." Harry added to her. "There's bound to be loads of spares."

"Good." Ron said.

"So what else do we do?" Krystal said to Hermione indicating them both.

"Well, we need at least one person on the lookout for trouble, so you hang around the broom cupboard, hiding of course, and us three can interrogate Malfoy."

"Nice." Krystal said, relieved.

"So she gets out of drinking the potion!" Ron said loudly.

"We can't go as a four Ron, we'd look too suspicious." Hermione replied.

Ron sighed and said "Fair enough."

Hermione stood up and said, "Let's do it!"

Krystal sighed and said "Might as well get this over with..."

To the other three Gryffindor's amazement, stage one of the operations went as smoothly as Hermione had planned.

Harry and Ron were in the laundry finding extra large Slytherin robes and ties, while Krystal had transformed herself into her fairy form and was waiting outside the Entrance Hall after Christmas tea. Krystal was watching the two boys with disgust, as they were shoving down fourth helpings of trifle.  
The two boys finally rised from the Slytherin table and headed towards the door. Krystal kicked off from the ground and flew to the ceiling, waiting for them.

Goyle and Crabbe came out, laughing and talking stupidly.

Krystal held out her hand and let her powers flow through her, as a purple gas emitted from her hands and as soon as Goyle and Crabbe got a whiff of the steam, they both fell backwards on to the floor.

Krystal landed back onto the ground, turned back to normal and rolled and kicked the two fat boys towards the broom cupboard.

Krystal knelt down beside them both and plucked out a few of Goyle and Crabbe's eyebrows and head hair.

She stuck Goyle's hair in a glass test tube from her potions kit, labelled "_Goyle,_" and the same for Crabbe.

Krystal stuck the test tubes down her front robes pocket .She also stole Both of the boy's shoes as she knew Harry and Ron's feet would be far too small for their own shoes when they turn into Crabbe and Goyle. Krystal locked the cupboard and ran full speed back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Krystal pushed the door to the bathroom open and was almost knocked over by a foul stench in the last cubicle.

"Hermione?" Krystal asked, as she pulled her robes up over her face.  
She heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged from the cubicle, her face shining with sweat and coughing slightly, looking anxious.

Behind Hermione was the cauldron, and the _gloop gloop _of the bubbling, treacle-thick potion.  
Harry and Ron came running in a few moments later.

"You got them?" Harry asked, panting.

Krystal held up the two test tubes. "No toenails, Ron." Krystal said, with a small grin. "I also got their shoes, too." She said, pointing to the floor where she dumped the two sets of shoes.

"Excellent!" Hermione said.  
All four of them looked into the potion and studied it.

"I'm sure I've done everything right." Hermione said nervously, looking at the recipe page for the Polyjuice potion.

"It looks like what the book described it to be...once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly one hour until we change back into our normal selves."  
Hermione -with trembling hands- took out a ladle from her school bag and poured a small amount of Polyjuice potion into three glasses.

"Add the hairs." Hermione instructed.

"Choose your poison." Krystal joked, holding up the two glass tubes.

"Goyle." Harry said automatically.

Krystal handed Harry the tube labelled "_Goyle._"

Hermione added the hairs to her potion first. Millicent's hair turned the potion into a sick, deep yellow.

"Urgh!" Krystal recoiled.

"That's essence of Millicent Bulstrode." Ron said. "Bet it tastes disgusting."

"Add yours, then." Hermione said testily.  
Ron and Harry dropped their hairs into their glasses. Goyle's turned into a really sickly deep green, like the colour of bogies. Crabbe's was a dark murky brown.

"Hold on!" Krystal said. "You better not drink it in here. Once you all turn into who you're meant to be, you'll be way too big. And Millicent Bulstrode is as much a fairy princess as I am."

Ron looked sideways, glumly said "Good thinking."

Careful not to spill a drop of his disgusting looking potion, Ron and Harry slipped in to the next cubicle.

"Ready?" Harry called.

"Ready!" came Ron and Hermione's voices.

"One...two...three, cheers." Krystal said. "Drink up."

Pinching his nose hard, Harry drank the potion up in two large gulps.

Harry felt as though he had swallows live insects – Snakes were writhing about inside him, changing and morphing him.

Immediately, Harry doubled up, gasping for air, wondering if he was going to be sick. A hot, burning sensation was spreading through his body, rapidly spreading from his stomache to his fingertips and toes.

Next came a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over his body bubbled like hot wax, and before his eyes his hands thickened and the nails broadened. His shoulders were stretching painfully and a prickling on his forehead told him his hair was changing and his eyebrows were thickening.

His robes ripped as his chest expanded and his shoes became too small for his feet, which were now painfully enclosed in his tiny shoes.

Everything then suddenly stopped...Harry was lying face down on the cold floor, breathing hard and sweating.

With great difficulty, he kicked off his old shoes and pulled on the ones Krystal had supplied for them.

Harry took off his glasses that were clouding his vision, as Goyle's vision was perfectly fine without them.

Harry stood up and said "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah." Came the deep grunt next door.

Harry unbolted his cubicle and was greeted with a scream – Krystal.

"Harry!"  
Harry looked over into the mirror and tested his new figure in which was now Goyle. He scratched his ear – so did Goyle.

"Holy..." came another voice.

Crabbe.

"Is that you, Ron?" Krystal and Harry asked.

"Yeah. I don't bloody believe this..." Ron gasped at his image in the mirror. "Unbelievable..."

"We better get going." Harry said, as he loosened his watch that was cutting into Goyle's fat wrist.

"I hope we can figure out where the Slytherin common room is." Ron said nervously.

"I sort of know where it is." Krystal said, looking as though she was trying to remember something. "I  
defiantly know it's somewhere in the dungeons. It's where the Slytherin come out of every morning, so I'm guessing that where they are."

"Great, so that narrows down the possibilities." Ron said through Crabbe's thick voice.

"Hermione?"Krystal said. "Are you alright?"

A high pitched squeak answered her. "I – I don't think I'm coming after all. You two go on without me."

Krystal looked at Harry, who's face looked absolutely astonished.

"_That _looks like Goyle." Krystal said, grinning. "That is his exact face when a teacher asks him a question."

"We better go, five minutes are already up."

"I'll come along too – I can distract any prefects trying to stop you two."

"No! You've already been expelled and-!" Harry protested.

"I don't care." Krystal said coldly. "I don't care for myself, as long as everyone here is okay. Do you want to stop Draco or not?"

Harry shook his head.

"Fine then, let's go."

"We'll meet you back here, Hermione." Krystal called as they rushed out of the bathroom.

As the three of them half rushed and half walked to the dungeons, they were discussing Hermione.

"Do you think she was sick?"

"Probably." Harry replied to Krystal. "And try and keep out of sight, won't it look stupid and not to mention, suspicious if someone catches us we're all talking like we're all buddies?"

"True." Krystal said and ran ahead of them, but still leading them.

"Don't do that; don't swing your arms like that..." Harry said to Ron.

"What?" Ron replied, confused.

"Crabbe holds them kind of stiff..."

"How's this?"

"Yeah, that's better."

They followed Krystal down a spiral marbled staircase.

"This is all I know..." Krystal said, stopping. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Harry said immediately. "All we need is a Slytherin follow."

But nobody seemed to be around, making them quite alone.

Harry, Krystal and Ron continued down the dark stairs, their footsteps echoing particularly loudly as Crabbe and Goyle's large feet hit the floor.

The passages and corridors were deserted. They all walked deeper and deeper under the school.

After nearly ten minutes, they were getting desperate.

In front of them was a red-headed figure.

"Percy!" Krystal whispered. "Hide!"

Ron and Harry quickly hid behind the suit of armour, Krystal stayed visible. Harry immediately tried  
to grab Krystal's arm but she shook it out of his grip.

"No!" Krystal hissed. "I can distract him. He's the only prefect on this floor!"

Harry hid and watched Krystal being hunted down by Percy.

"Excuse me!" He said fiercely.

Krystal just stared back at him.

"What are you doing down here?" He said to her in amazement. "You're in Gryffindor!"

"I was..." She started but faltered. "J-just looking around. I didn't know exactly where I was."

"Detention!" He yelled at her. "And I'm taking you back to Gryffindor tower – I'm beginning to see why you were expelled from your last school."

"Ouch." Ron said quietly as Percy dragged Krystal away.

Ron and Harry emerged from the armour.

"What now?"Ron asked Harry.

But as Harry shrugged his shoulders, a voice shouted at them from the down the hall.

"Crabbe! Goyle! There you are!"

It was Draco Malfoy. For the first time in Harry's life, he was pleased to see him.

"I want to show you two something really funny.

He motioned for them both to follow him.

Harry and Ron hurried after Malfoy. He paused as he reached a bare, damp stone wall.

"What's the new password again?" He asked Harry.

Oh no, Harry thought. He'd be busted for sure! Goyle would know what the password was!

"Erm..."

"Oh yeah – _Pure-blood!"_ Malfoy shouted, not listening to Harry.

The wall slid aside as If it was a door. Malfoy marched through it, and Harry and Ron followed him.

The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and a ceiling, from which round; greenish lamps were hanging from the ceiling from chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them.

"Wait here." Malfoy said as he and the two Gryffindor's reached the couches and sat. "I'll go and get it – my father's just sent it in to me."

Wondering what on earth Malfoy was going to show them, Harry and Ron tried to get comftorble on the couches, trying their best to look at home.

Malfoy came back about a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper cutting. He thrust it under Harry's nose.

"That'll give you a laugh." He said joyfully to them.

Harry's eyes widened in shock.

It was a newspaper cutting from the Daily Prophet.

It read:

_**Enquiry at the Ministry of Magic.**_

_**Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle artefacts Office, was today fined fifty galleons for bewitching a muggle car.  
Mr Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crash crashed earlier this year called today for Mr Weasley's resignation. "Weasley has brought the Ministry into disrepute." Mr Malfoy told the reporter.  
"He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."  
Arthur Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told the reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them.**_

"_Well?_" Malfoy said impatiently, as Harry handed him back the newspaper cutting. "Don't you think that's funny?

"Hahahaaa..." Harry and Ron said, trying their best to fake laughter.

"Weasley loves muggles so much, he should just snap his wand in half and go join them!" said Malfoy scornfully. "You'd never know the Weasley's were pureblood, the way they behave. They're an embarrassment to the wizarding world – all of them."

Crabbe's, or rather Ron's face was contorted with fury.

"What's up with you, Crabbe?" Malfoy snapped.

Harry nudged him into his ribs with a thick elbow.

"Stomache ache." Ron grunted back.

"Well, go up to the Hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me!" Malfoy said snickering. "You know, I'm surprised nobody's reported on all these attacks – not even the Daily Prophet! I bet Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if he doesn't stop soon. Father's always said that Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-Borns. A decent Headmaster would never have let slime like that Creevy in."

Malfoy then started to take pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin. "Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"

He dropped his hands and looked at Harry and Ron.

"What's the _matter _with you two?"

Far too late, Harry and Ron where chortling to Malfoy's joke – but Malfoy seemed satisfied.

Perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow in the uptake.

"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods friend." Said Malfoy slowly. "He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people actually think _he's _Slytherin's heir!"

Harry and Ron waited, with their breath held. Surely Malfoy was only seconds away from telling them it was him. But then -

" I wish I knew who it was." Malfoy said petulantly. "I could help them."

Ron's jaw dropped, so Crabbe's face looked even more ridiculous than usual.

Harry, thinking fast, said "You must have some idea who's behind it all! Surely your father must..."

"You know I don't Goyle. How many times do I have to tell you? And neither does my father."  
He said sceptically.

"He won't tell me _anything _about the last time the Chamber of secrets was opened. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time." He said. "But he knows all about it. He says it was all kept quiet or it would look too suspicious if I knew too much about it. But the only think I know, is that the last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood _died. _So I bet it's only a matter of time before another one snuffs it. As for me, I hope it's Granger..." he said with relish.

Harry noticed Ron shaking with absolute fury, clenching Crabbe's knuckles. Harry nudged Ron and tried to give him a warning glance without Malfoy knowing exactly what was going on.

Harry went on.

"Do you know if the person who opened the Chamber of Secrets last time was caught?"

"Oh yeah... whoever it was was expelled." Malfoy said in a careless voice. "Probably still in Azkaban now."

"Azkaban?" Harry said, not thinking at all.

"Azkaban – the _wizard prison, _Goyle!" Malfoy sighed angrily and looking at him in disbelief.

"Honestly, if you were any slower you'd be going backwards."

Malfoy still went on.

"Father was saying to me to put my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school is needing to be ridded of all this Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up it. Of course, father's got a lot on his plate at the moment. Did you know the Ministry of Magic raided our Manor last week?" He said with disgust, at Harry and Ron.

Harry tried to shift Goyle's fat face into a look of concern.

"Yeah..." said Malfoy. "Luckily they didn't find very much. Father has got some _very _valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing room floor-"

"HO!" Ron said.

Malfoy looked at him wildly, and Ron blushed a very deep red.

Even his hair was turning red...his nose was slowly lengthening. Their hour must be up, as Harry realised, with shock horror, which he must be changing back into himself too.

With no hesitation, both boys jumped to their feet and ran up the stairs calling back to Malfoy;

" Medicine for my stomach!"

They both sprinted out of the common room, hurled themselves at the stone wall and dashed up the passage, hoping to god Malfoy hadn't noticed them changing back into themselves.  
Harry could feel his feet beginning to get smaller, and quickly kicked off the shoes that kept him from running properly, and Ron and Harry sprinted back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Well," Ron said, panting as he closed the bathroom door behind him. "It wasn't a complete waste of time. I know we still haven't found out who is doing the attacks, but I'm writing to dad first thing tomorrow to ask him to check under the Malfoy's drawing room floor."

"Harry!" Came another voice.

Krystal came out from behind them, with tears down her face.

"Krystal!" Ron said with surprise. "I thought bloody Percy locked you up in the Dormitory.

Krystal shook her head and quickly said "I snuck out after he went to bed but..." she glanced a look at Hermione's cubicle.

"I'm scared. It's Hermione!" She said, wiping her tears away, while Harry tried to calm her down.

"I've tried to get her out of the cubicle, but she won't come out. Something's gone wrong."

Ron went up to the toilet door and hammered on Hermione's toilet door.

"Hermione!" Ron said. "Come out! We've got loads to tell you!"

"Go away!" Hermione said, with what Harry heard was a sob.

Krystal was shaking with fear and said in a wobbly voice. "I'm opening up Hermione!"

She waved her hand, using her wandless magic, opened Hermione's door.

"No, please!"She gasped. "Don't look at me."

Behind them, Myrtle was giggling and laughing at Hermione.

Harry could finally see what the ghost found so funny.

Hermione's face was covered in fur – and her eyes were yellow, and little cat ears were poking through her mass of bushy hair.

"So Millicent Bulstrode is really a _cat?" _Krystal said, trying to lighten the mood.

"It was cat hair!"Hermione wailed. "Millicent must have a cat! The potion isn't meant to be used for  
animal transformations!"

"Oh no!" Ron gasped.

"You'll be teased something dreadful!" Myrtle said, practically howling with laugher.

"Shut up, Myrtle!" Krystal said.

"It's okay, Hermione." Harry said quickly. "We'll take you up to the Hospital wing. Madam Pomfry never asks too many questions..."

It took at least forty minutes to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle, still cackling with delight said "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a _tail!"  
_

**

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**

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I appreciate every single review!


	13. The Diary

**Chapter 13 – The Diary**

Rumours were spreading quickly that Hermione had been attacked, seeing as she wasn't seen in the classrooms or in the Library lately.

But, as students got wind of Hermione having a furry face, students were filed up outside the hospital wing, trying to get a glance of her and her new tail.

Madam Pomfry, the matron, had gotten out the curtains Colin was concealed behind, and put them around Hermione to spare her.

Hermione was still in the hospital wing for the remainder of the Christmas Holidays with the story created by Krystal, saying Hermione just was trying to pluck her eyebrows with magic when her spell went horribly wrong.

She was still in the Hospital wing when term started, and had insisted that her friends bring her everyday's homework.

Harry, Krystal and Ron visited her every evening otherwise, to ask her how her progress of turning back to normal was.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work." Ron said as Krystal dumped Hermione's homework on the bedside table.

"Don't be silly Ron, I've got to keep up!" said Hermione briskly.

Hermione was now feeling a lot better within herself, now that she was de-whiskered and her face was fur free. Plus her eyes were slowly turning from yellow back into brown.

"I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" Hermione added in a whisper, so the Matron couldn't hear them.

"No, nothing at all." Said Harry gloomily.

"I was so _sure _it was Malfoy." Said Ron for the umpteenth time.

"Hermione, what is that?" Harry asked, pointing at something gold sticking out of Hermione's pillow.

"Just a Get Well card." Hermione said uncomftorbly, trying to poke the gold card out of sight.

Ron was too quick for her, as he pulled it out of the pillow, flicked it open and read aloud;

_"To Miss Granger,  
Wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin Third Class, Honorary Member of the Force Defence League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award."_

Krystal and Ron wore identical looks of disgust for Hermione.

"You sleep with that under your _pillow?"_ Krystal said, as Ron mimed vomiting.

But Hermione was spared answering as the Matron shooed them away for Hermione's evening dose of medicine.

* * *

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met, or what?" Krystal sighed loudly.

"He's an idiot." Ron said darkly.

The three of them were sitting around in the Gryffindor common room, trying to get their load of potions homework under control.

"Bloody hell!" Harry said with frustration, throwing down his quill. "I'm going to be in sixth year before I finish all this."

Krystal suggested for Harry and Ron to go for a walk to help clear their minds.

"I've got to get to that bloody detention at eight tonight, so I won't be here when you get back." Krystal said sadly.

"Have fun." Harry said with a grin.

"Same to you two." She said, packing up her books.

* * *

Ron and Harry were walking back to their dormitory after nearly forty five minutes break from work.

"I wish I asked Hermione how many rat tails we're meant to add to a hair standing potion..."

Harry was about to reply when an angry outburst came from upstairs on the floor above them.

"That's Filch!" Harry muttered as they hurried along up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.

"You don't think someone else has been attacked, do you?" Harry asked with bated breath.

They stood quite still, listening hard as Filch's voice got more hysterical.

"..._even more work for me to do! Mopping all night like I haven't got enough to do! That's the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore!"  
_  
Then, they heard distant footsteps and a crash of a door shutting.

Harry and Ron poked their heads around the corner. Filch had clearly been manning his usual look post, as this was the spot where Mrs. Norris was attacked.

He'd clearly been complaining about the flood on the floor, and from behind the bathroom door, he could hear Myrtle's wails and sobs.

"_Now _what's wrong with her?" Ron said.

"Let's go and see, be careful not to slip." Harry said. Holding up both of their robes above their ankles, they stepped through the great wash of water to the door, bearing it's "Out of Order" sign, and ignored and as always, stepped inside.

Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possibly, louder and harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet.

It was quite dark, because all the lights were turned out and the candles extinguished by the great rush of water that Myrtle had created, leaving the walls and floor completely drenched.

"What's up, Myrtle?" said Harry.

"Who's there? What do you want?" Myrtle said miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"  
Harry walked, with difficulty, but more waded to Myrtle's cubicle.

"Why would I throw something at you?"

"Don't ask me!" Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water and splashed the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and something thinks it's funny to throw a book at me..."

"But it can't hurt you if someone throws something at you." Ron said reasonably. "I mean, it'd just go through you, wouldn't it?"

Ron had said the wrong thing. Myrtle puffed herself up and shrieked "Let's all throw things at Myrtle because she can't feel it! Ten points if it goes through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well HA HA HA, what a lovely game, I _don't _think!"

"Who threw it at you, anyway?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." Myrtle said, splashing more water his way. "I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through my head." Said Myrtle, giving them a death-stare. "It's over there, it got washed out."  
Harry and Ron ducked their heads under the sink where Myrtle was pointing to.

Harry found a small, thin book lying there, drenched as anything else in the washed out bathroom.

Harry went to grab it, but Ron flung his arm out to stop him.

"Are you mad? It could be dangerous!" Ron said, eyeing the book.

"Dangerous?" Harry laughed. "Come off it, how could it be dangerous?"

"You'd be surprised." Ron said darkly. "Some of the books at the ministry were confiscated because  
they were cursed – like one of them burned your eyes out if you got to a certain page of the book, and there was this one book an old lady bought a book in Bath, which you could _never stop reading!  
_You always had to have your nose in the book, doing everything one-handed and..."

"All right!" Harry sighed. "I got the point! But we won't find out unless we check it out."

Harry ducked around Ron's arm and picked up the old book – which was a diary.

The faded year on the front cover on it told him the Diary was fifty years old. Harry opened the book eagerly, and could just make out a name in smudged ink:  
_'T.M Riddle.'_

Harry peeled the wet pages apart, looking for any trace of writing.

The pages were all completely blank.

"He never wrote in it..." Harry said, disappointed.

"I wonder why someone would want to flush it away?" Ron asked. "It's not really much use to us, I guess." He dropped his voice to a whisper and said "Fifty points if you can get it through Myrtle's nose!"

Harry, however, pocketed the diary.

* * *

Hermione was finally free of the hospital wing, tail-less and fur free at the beginning of February.

On her first evening back to the Gryffindor common room, Harry immediately showed her the diary with Krystal flicking through the pages carefully.

As Krystal looked at the front page, she said "I know who T.M Riddle is. He got a special award for services at the school fifty years ago."

Harry, Ron and Hermione stared.

"How the bloody hell do you know that?" Harry asked in amazement as Krystal handed Hermione the diary.

"Well, I had to polish his award about fifty times during my detention from Percy. Filch thought I was  
being slack, and said he wanted to see his face shining off that award...so I was there buffing it over and over..." Krystal with a dismissive voice. "I'm fine, though my right arm will never be the same again."

"It must have hidden powers!"Hermione said excitedly, taking the diary in her hands again and looking at it closely.

"If it does, it's hiding them very well." Ron said. "I don't know why you didn't just throw it away like the last person, Harry."

"I wish I knew why the last person _did _try to throw it away, though." Harry said. "I also wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for services at the school, either."

"Could've been anything, the award didn't say why, though. Shame..." Krystal sighed.

"Maybe he murdered Myrtle? Would've done everyone a favour." Ron said.

Though Harry could tell from the look on Hermione's face that she was thinking what she was thinking.

"What?" Ron said, looking from Harry to Hermione.

"Well, the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, that's what Malfoy said to us."

"Yeah..." Ron said slowly.

"And this diary is fifty years old!" Hermione said excitedly, tapping the diary.

"So?" Ron said.

"Oh, wake up Ronald Weasley!" Hermione snapped. "We know the person who opened the  
Chamber last time was expelled _fifty years ago; _we know T.M Riddle got an award _fifty years ago!  
_What if Riddle's award was for catching the heir of Slytherin? His diary could tell us everything – where the chamber is, how to get in and what sort of creature lives in there!"

"That's a _brilliant _theory, Hermione." Ron said with upmost sarcasm. "With just one tiny little flaw – _there's nothing written in this diary!"  
_  
Hermione pulled her wand out of her bag.

"It might be invisible ink!" She whispered to them.

She tapped the diary three times and said "_Aparecium!_"

Nothing happened, Hermione looked crestfallen.

But Krystal had an idea.

"Wait!" She said, getting her bag. "I've got something...aha!"

The blonde girl pulled out what looked like a bright red eraser.

"It's a Revealer, they're really cheap."

Krystal rubbed hard on "January 1st."

Nothing.

"Damn. Well, I guess Riddle got a diary and never was bothered to fill it in?"

Harry couldn't explain, even to himself, why he didn't just throw away Riddle's Diary. The fact even though he _knew _the diary was empty, he kept picking it up and flicking through the old book as though it was a story he wanted to finish.

Harry was sure he had never heard the name T.M Riddle before in his life, but it still meant something to him, as though he was an old friend he had when he was a little boy and he had half-forgotten.

But it was absurd, and untrue. He'd never had friends before Hogwarts, his cousin Dudley had made of that.

Nether the less, Harry and the other three Gryffindors were determined to find out more about Riddle. So, the next day at break, he and the others headed for the trophy room and studied T.M Riddle's award.

Riddle's award was tucked away in the corner of the cabinet, it didn't carry any details of why he was awarded the golden shield.

"Good thing," Krystal said. "Or else it would have been bigger and taken longer to polish that goddamn thing." She hissed, looking at the trophy cabinet with dislike.

However, Hermione did spot Riddle's name on the list of Head boy's of Hogwarts.

"He sounds like Percy." Krystal said with a wrinkled nose.

"Prefect. Head of every class..."Ron said with great distaste.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Hermione said with a slightly hurt voice.

* * *

The sun had begun to shine more brightly around Hogwarts castle again.

Inside the castle, the mood had grown more hopeful. There had been no more attacks since the double attack on nearly headless Nick and Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Madam Pomfry was also pleased to announce that the mandrakes for helping the petrified people, were becoming moody and secretive, which meant they were fast leaving childhood.

"The moment their acne clears up, we'll be repotting them, and then we'll be cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs' Norris back in no time."Harry heard the matron say to Filch one afternoon.

Perhaps the heir of Slytherin had lost his or her nerve, thought Harry. Perhaps it was getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious.

Perhaps the monster, or whatever it was, was preparing itself to settle down to hibernate for another fifty years.

Though Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still fully convinced that Harry had given himself away at the Duelling club.

Peeves wasn't helping the matters, either. His "Potter you rotter" song now had dance moves that annoyed the hell out of him every time Peeves sang the song for him.

Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think that he himself had made the monster disappear, or scared it off.

Harry and Krystal overheard him talking to the Transfiguration Professor in loud voices saying so.

"I don't think there will be anymore trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught them. Rather sensible to stop now, I think. Before I came down hard on them. But, forget all this! I think we need something to lighten the spirit of this terrible time. Just a thought, you know, but I have just the thing..."

He tapped his nose again, and strutted off.

Krystal mimed vomiting behind his back.

"That Lockhart's an idiot." She said to Harry, as they made their way to dinner together.


	14. Potter Loves A HalfBreed

****

**This Chapter really isn't of vital importance to the story...meh.  
****Oh why do I even bother putting these in? It's not like anyone reads them.  
**

* * *

CHAPTER 14 – Potter Loves a Half-Breed

Lockhart's idea of a mood-lifter became very clear on February fourteenth, Valentine's Day.  
Harry hadn't had much sleep because of the late running Quidditch session last night, so he was running late for breakfast.

As Harry opened the doors to Great Hall, for a split second, he thought he'd walked through the wrong doors and made a mistake.

The walls were covered in hot pink flowers, and worse, heart shaped confetti was falling through the pale blue ceiling.

"What's going on?" Harry asked Krystal, as he wiped the confetti off his bacon.

Krystal and Ron simultaneously pointed to the staff table; Krystal had bright red cheeks, whilst Ron looked downright disgusted.

Lockhart was wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, waved for silence.

The teachers on either side of him were looking stony- faced. From where Harry was sitting, he could see a muscle working in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked liked he'd been given a large dose of Skele-Gro, the awful potion Harry had taken when his bones in his right arm had disappeared.

"Happy Valentine's day!" Lockhart shouted. Krystal blushed even deeper, and was having difficulty looking at Harry. "And may I thank the forty-six kind hearted people who sent me cards so far. And, Yes! I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all, and here they are!"

Lockhart clapped his hands, and through the doors to the Entrance Hall that marched in were a dozen tiny little elves, with surely looks on their faces, as if they'd rather be anywhere else than here. They were wearing golden angel wings and carrying harps.

"My card-carrying cupids! They will be roving around the school today delivering your Valentine's day poems for you. And the fun celebration doesn't stop there! Why not ask Professor Snape how to whip up a love potion!"

Krystal, who was about to take a sip from her pumpkin juice, immediately put it down, as though terrified someone had slipped her a love potion.

Snape looked as though they first person to ask him how to whip up a love potion would be force fed poison.

"Please, Hermione." Ron began. "Don't tell us you were one of those forty six that sent that idiot cards?"

Hermione, who was suddenly very interested looking for her timetable in her bag, didn't answer.

All day long, those dwarves were bursting into classrooms, interrupting lessons by singling a student out of a class and delivering them a poem from someone who never gave their name.

It was nearing the end of the day, and Harry though he'd get off scot-free from receiving one of those embarrassing poems, thought too soon.

During a class change with students rushing everywhere, as the Gryffindors were heading up to Charms, a particularly grim-looking dwarf was calling his name.

"Oy! You! 'Arry Potter!" it called out to him through the corridor.

Nervous at the thought of being given a romantic poem in front a line of first years and _especially  
_Krystal, Harry grabbed Krystal's hand and they both tried to make a run for it.

However, the mean-looking elf was surprisingly fast and caught up to them very quickly.

"I've got a musical poem to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person!"

The little man was kicking people's shins and going out of his absolute way to get to Harry and Krystal.

"Not here!" Harry yelled to the dwarf.

"Stay _still!" _he snarled, grabbing Harry's bag to pull him back.

"Let me go!" Harry said, tugging his bag back, which was a big mistake.

The bag had split in two, causing his books, wand, parchment and ink bottles to smash all over the floor.

Harry, with Krystal's help, tried to pick up all of Harry's belongings before the elf decided to start singing, causing a hold up in the hallway.

Krystal's hand accidently slipped on a piece of glass from Harry's ink bottle, causing a rather nasty wound in the palm on her left hand.

"Ouch!" she sobbed, looking at her hand. And, said desperately to Harry. "My hand! I'm bleeding!"

"Calm down!" Harry said, as he tried to gather his things. "I'm sure Madam Pomfry will be able to-"

"No!" she hissed. "Harry – _I can't bleed in front of other people!"  
_  
"What do you -?" Harry started absolutely confused, but was cut off from the loud drawl of Draco Malfoy.

"What's going on here?"

Harry started to desperately stuff everything into his wrecked school bag, while putting the rest of his text books into Krystal's bag, tried to make an escape.

"What's going on here? What's all this commotion?" it was Percy Weasley.

As Harry and Krystal stood up, the dwarf immediately bought him back down to the ground by wrapping his tiny arms around Harry's knees, and climbed on top of his chest and said;

"Right, here's your Valentine.  
_  
His eyes are as fresh as a green pickled toad.  
His hair is as black as a blackboard.  
I wish he was mine. He's really divine.  
The one who conquered the Dark Lord."  
_  
Everyone laughed and Harry tried to laugh with the rest of the crowd, though Harry would have given all the money he had to vanish on the spot.

But, Draco wasn't looking at Harry; he was looking at Krystal, whose hand was bleeding profusely.

Harry didn't get why he was wasting an opportunity to laugh at Harry and not get in trouble.

Harry looked at Krystal, as he stood up when the little man released him.

But then he spotted it – Krystal's blood.

Her blood was different to Harry's. There was defiantly something that differed her blood from the rest.

Harry's blood was always a deep red, like it should be.

Though, as Krystal was bleeding, her blood sparkled. It wasn't a deep red, but almost a pleasant rosy light red.

Draco was pointing at the blood on the floor, and at her.

"Half-breed!" He shouted. "Potter loves a _half-breed!_"

Draco smiled cruelly down at the girl on the floor, still bleeding.

"What's a half-breed?" someone asked him in the crowd that was still watching Harry and Krystal.

"Look at her _blood_! It's sparkling! My father told me all about this type of blood – she's not even human!"

People, indeed, were looking at the blood on the floor with confused faces, but noticed the difference and were immediately questioning her and Malfoy.

"You're disgusting." Draco said, and spat at her feet.  
_  
Calm down..._ Krystal said to herself, as the Slytherins bagged Harry and Krystal.

Krystal couldn't help herself – she started to cry.

"The little part-human is _crying!" _A Slytherin fifth year said loudly.

Harry picked himself up, and helped Krystal up, who didn't seem to be responding.

"Come on, Krys." Harry said urgently. "We have to get you to Madam Pomfry or you'll bleed to death."

In all honestly, Krystal wasn't bleeding that badly from the glass cut, but heck, a lot of her blood was staining the floor.

"You're putting your filthy blood all over the floor!" Draco shouted at her. "Clean it up!"

Harry had never felt so angry in his entire life before – how _dare _Draco do that to her?

"Off you go – off you go!" Percy was shouting to everyone. "The bell rang five minutes ago."

Malfoy was still with Krystal and Harry.

"_And _you Malfoy." Percy said bossily.

But Malfoy was holding up Riddle's Diary.

"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" Draco said, who obviously hadn't noticed the front cover with the date, and thought he was holding Harry's own Diary.

Ginny Weasley was looking at Draco, to the diary, to Harry looking terrified.

"Give it back Malfoy!" Harry shouted.

Percy started "As a _Prefect-"  
_  
But Harry cut him off saying "Expelliarmus!" in his rage.

Draco found the diary flying out of his hands flew and into Harry's waiting hand, caught it.

"No magic in the corridors, Harry! I'll be reporting this, you know. And get the new girl to Madam Pomfry; we can't have her bleeding all over the school."

Harry looked down at the floor where Krystal was still kneeling, looking at her hand.

"Krystal, come _on." _Harry said, almost impatiently. "We need to heal that cut."

Draco finally left the scene, looking over at Ginny saying "I don't think Potter liked your Valentine much."

Ginny began to cry as Malfoy pushed past her and went into class.

Krystal finally stood up slowly as only he and Krystal were the only ones standing there.

Hermione and Ron poked their heads out of a classroom door and said "There you guys are! Flitwick sent us out to look for you."

Hermione was looking at Krystal sadly, watching her blood run down her hand, and drip on the floor.

"Krystal, what happened?" she asked her.

"Nothing, I...I'm going to go downstairs to see Madam Pomfry. See you later."

Krystal ran down the stairs to the first floor, and her tear-streaked face looking at the ground.

Hermione and Ron were both looking at Harry.

"It was Malfoy." Harry said darkly, as he entered the Charms classroom with his friends. "He saw her blood, it was different and he made a massive deal out of it. But...Imagine how Krystal must be feeling. It'd be like Red Fountain all over for her."

Hermione and Ron were shocked.

"Why on _earth _would he do that to her? That's disgusting! _He's _disgusting!"Hermione said frantically as Flitwick set them to work.

"He called Krystal that too." Harry said glumly. "He said '_clean up your mess, you disgusting half-breed.'"_

Ron looked enraged while Hermione swore she would get revenge on Malfoy for this.

But the other thing that was also on Harry's mind was that, although all his books were drenched in ink, Riddle's Diary was in perfect condition. Not a single drop of ink stained it.

Harry had tried to point this out to Ron and Hermione, but Ron, who was having trouble with his wand and was oozing purple bubbles, didn't seem very interested in anything else.

****

* * *

**Hours to write, seconds to review!**


	15. Tom Riddle

**Half of this was quoted from the book, so please don't sue me! I don't own any of it!**

**

* * *

**

CHAPTER 15 – Tom Riddle

Harry went to bed early that night, earlier than everyone else. Partly because he couldn't stand Fred and George singing Harry's valentine song from Ginny again and also because he wanted to examine Riddle's Diary again, although Ron thought Harry was wasting his time.

Harry was sitting on his four-poster bed and flicked through the blank pages, not one with a trace of scarlet ink on it.

Then he pulled out a new bottle out of his bedside cabinet, dipped his quill into it and dropped a blot on the first page.

The ink shone brightly as ever on the old page, and then suddenly as though it was being sucked into the pages, vanished.

Trembling slightly with excitement, Harry loaded up his quill again and wrote

'_My name is Harry Potter.'  
_  
These words too, were vacuumed into the diary.

Then, after a moment, new words appeared that Harry was sure he had never written.

'_Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?'  
_  
Harry was staring at the words, with his mouth hanging open with shock and excitement.

Those words faded away.

Then, Harry wrote _'Someone tried to flush it down a toilet.'  
_  
He waited eagerly for Tom Riddle's reply with baited breath.  
_  
'Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting ways than ink. But I always knew that there  
would be those who would not want this diary read.'  
_  
'_What do you mean?'_ Harry wrote back, blotting the page with excitement.

'_I mean this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things which were covered up. Things which happened at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.'_

_'That's where I am now,' _Harry wrote quickly. _'I'm ay Hogwarts and horrible stuff's been happening. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?'  
_Riddle's writing had become messier, as though he wanted to tell Harry everything he knew quickly._  
_  
'_Of course I know about the Chamber of Secret. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year, The Chamber was opened and attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who was behind it all, and they were expelled. But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, was ashamed such a thing had happened to Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the student that was killed by the monster had died in a freak accident. They gave me a shiny trophy and had warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one with the power to control it was not imprisoned.'  
_  
Harry nearly upset his ink bottle in his hurry to reply back to Tom.  
_  
'It's happening again now. There's been three attacks, but nobody has been killed .Nobody seems to know who it is, who was it last time?' _

'_I can show you, if you like.' _Came Riddle's reply. '_You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him.'  
_  
Harry hesitated, pausing his quill on top of the parchment. How could he be taken inside someone else's memory?

Then, without Harry having to write a reply, more words formed.  
_  
'Let me show you.'  
_  
Harry paused for a second, then wrote two letters;  
_  
'OK.'  
_  
The pages began to blow as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway through the month of June. Mouth hanging open, Harry saw that the little square for June the thirteenth had turned into a miniscule television screen.

Hands trembling slightly, he raised the book to press his eye against the little window and before he knew what was happening, he was tilting forwards; the window was widening, and he felt his body leave his bed and he was pitched headfirst through the opening of the page, into a whirl of colour and shadow.

He felt his feet hit solid ground, and stood shaking, as the blurred shapes around him came suddenly into focus.

* * *

Krystal was heading back to the Gryffindor tower from the Hospital Wing, when Ron and Hermione came rushing towards her asking her feverishly if she'd seen Harry.

"We were guessing he came to visit you." Ron said, after they asked her.

"No, I haven't seen him since the...accident on the second floor." Krystal mumbled.

Krystal's hand was now in a bandage after the glass accident. Madam Pomfry could heal wounds in  
seconds but she told Krystal to keep the wound site covered to prevent any infections.

"We were worried about you, you know." Hermione said. "Are you alright?"

Krystal opened her mouth to say _"No, I'm not! I've just been disgraced in front of the entire school!"  
_  
But all she said was "I'm fine."

"We heard what that tit Malfoy did." Ron said angrily as they walked together to Gryffindor tower. We'll get him back for that, we promise."

Krystal shook her head in protest. "Honestly, don't worry about it. It's my fault I didn't watch out for the glass all over the floor. Blame Lockhart's little elves who injured both Harry and me."  
Ron was bickering a little to himself about Lockhart, while Hermione was saying "Lockhart didn't mean to hurt anyone! He was just trying to lighten up the mood for Valentine's Day!"

"Who cares?" Ron said. "He still hurt someone in the process. Plus, he's a fracking idiot for sending those stupid little dwarves in here in the first place."

Hermione gently touched Krystal's shoulder.

"By the way, I find your powers quite remarkable. I don't think any different of you."

Krystal looked at Hermione in almost a disbelieving way.

"You...really don't find it disgusting that...I'm a...fairy?"

Both Ron and Hermione shook their heads. "How much more amazing could you be?" Ron said, grinning. "I don't know too many wizarding families who gave birth to fairies...is it the same with squibs and muggle parents giving birth to magical families?"

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not sure, though it probably is. I mean, your parents would have to have been part fairy of a full-blood fairy."

Krystal shrugged. "Never knew my parents. I was told they were dead."

Hermione suddenly stopped talking. "I'm sorry...I had no idea."

Krystal poked her shoulder playfully. "It's alright, Hermione, of course you didn't know. I'm still trying to find out who they were though."

Hermione, Ron and Krystal opened the Gryffindor tower door to find a very sweaty and shaken Harry Potter.

* * *

Harry was looking around the unfamiliar environment; it was a circular room which however, did seem oddly familiar.

There was an old and frail man, reading a letter at his desk, frowning slightly.

Harry was about to apologise for butting in, but he didn't.

Then it hit him, he was in someone else's memory, completely invisible to everyone else fifty years ago.

A sharp knock on the door made Harry jump slightly.

"Enter." Said the old man.

A boy of about sixteen entered the room, taking off his black pointed wizard's hat as he went in.

A silver prefects badge was glinting on his chest, and he was much taller than Harry, but he too, had jet black hair.

"Ah, Riddle." Said the Headmaster.

"You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" said Riddle, he looked nervous.

"Sit down, boy." Said Dippet, indicating a chair in front of is large desk. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."

"Oh..." Riddle said. He sat down at the desk gripping his hands together very tightly.

"My dear boy..." Dipper began kindly. "You know I cannot possibly let you stay over at school for the holidays. Surely you want to go home for the summer?"

"No!" said Riddle at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than return there! I don't want to go back to that – that..."

"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the school holidays, I believe?" Dippet said curiously.

Tom looked down at his feet. "Yes sir." His face reddening slightly.

"Are you Muggle-Born?" Dipped asked.

"Half-blood, sir." Said Riddle. "Witch mother, muggle father."

"Are both of your parents...?"

"My mother died just after I was born, though she did have time to name me. Tom after my father  
and Marvolo after my grandfather."

Dippet clicked his tongue sympathetically, and sighed.

"The thing is Tom; special circumstances might have been arranged for you, but in the current circumstances..."

"You mean all these attacks, sir?" said Riddle. Harry's heart leapt as he heard this sentence, and moved forward, scared of missing anything.

"Precisely." Said the Headmaster, leaning forward and resting his hand in his hands. "My dear boy , you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain in the castle when term ends. Particularly in the light of a recent tragedy. The death of that poor little girl...you will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the – er – source of all this unpleasantness..."

Riddle's eyes widened at Dippet's words.

"Sir, if the person was caught, if it was all stopped..."

"What do you mean?" said Dippet, with a squeak in his voice, sitting upright in his chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"  
"No, sir," said Riddle quietly.

But Harry was sure it was the kind of 'no' he had given Dumbledore.

Dippet sank back into chair, looking chair looking faintly disappointed.

"You may go, Tom."

Riddle slid out of his chair and stumped out the room, Harry following him.

Down the spiral staircase they went, emerging next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle stopped, and so did Harry, watching him. Harry could tell Tom was doing some serious thinking. He was biting his lip, his forehead furrowed. Then, as though Riddle had reached some sort of decision, he hurried off, with Harry gliding noiselessly behind him. They didn't see another person until they reached the Entrance hall, when a tall wizard with long, sweeping auburn hair and beard called  
Riddle from the marble staircase.

"What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"

Harry gaped at the wizard. He was none other than a fifty-year younger Dumbledore.

"I had to see the Headmaster, sir." Said Riddle, with a slightly annoyed voice.

"Well, hurry off to bed." Said Dumbledore, giving Riddle the exact same penetrating look that Harry knew so well. "Best not to roam around the corridors, not since..."

Dumbledore broke off with a heavy sigh, bade Riddle goodnight and strode off.

Riddle watched him out of sight and then, moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps with Harry hot on pursuit.

But to Harry's disappointment, Riddle had not led him to a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel, but to the corridor where Harry had Potions class with Snape. The torches hadn't been lit, and when Riddle pushed the door almost closed, Harry could only just see Riddle's figure, standing stock-still by the door, watching the passage outside.

It felt like to Harry that they were there for at least an hour. All he could see was the figure of Riddle, staring through the crack of the door, waiting like a statue.

And just when Harry had stopped feeling tense, expectant and nervous and started wishing he could return to the present, he heard something move beyond the door.

Someone was creeping along the passage. He heard whoever it was pass the dungeon where he and Riddle were hidden.

Riddle, as quiet and sleek as a shadow, edged through the door and followed, Harry tiptoed behind him, forgetting he couldn't be heard.

For perhaps five minutes they heard footsteps and followed the sound, until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises.

Harry heard a door creak open and then someone speaking in a hoarse whisper.

"C'mon, I gotta get yeh outta here...c'mon now, in the box..."

There was something strangely familiar about that voice...

Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner. Harry stepped out behind him. He could see the huge, dark outline of a very tall boy who was crouching in front of an open door, a very large box next to it.

"Evening, Rubeus." Said Riddle sharply.

The boy slammed the door shut and stood up.

"What are you doin' down here, Tom?"

Riddle stepped closer.

"It's all over." He said. "I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing the school if the attacks don't stop."

"What d'yeh...?"

"I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just it out for exercise and..."

"It never killed no one!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. From behind him, Harry could hear funny rustling and clicking.

"Come on, Rubeus." Said Riddle, moving yet closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure the thing that killed their daughter was slaughtered."

"It' wasn't him!" roared the boy. "Aragog never killed anyone! He'd never!"

"Stand aside." Riddle said, drawing out his wand.

His spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy flew open with such a force it knocked him into the wall opposite. And out of it came something that made Harry let out a long, piercing scream no one but he seemed to hear.

A vast, low slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor sharp pincers – Riddle raised his wand again but it was too late. The thing bowled over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight.

Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy leapt in front of him, throwing him back down to the ground yelling "NOOOO!"

The scene whirled, and Harry found himself falling again and with a crash, landed spread-eagled on his four poster bed, the diary lying open on his stomach.

Before he regained his breath, he leaped off the bed and ran downstairs.

As he reached the empty common room, he looked frantically around for his friends, but as soon as wondered where they were, the common room swung open.  
"Harry!" Krystal shouted, as Harry collapsed onto the floor. Krystal went over to the boy on the floor, crouching. "What's wrong?"

Hermione and Ron took him over to the couches in front of the fire.

"Harry?" Hermione said quietly. "What happened? Where were you?"

Harry tried to take a deep, steady breath.

"Hagrid." He croaked out finally. "Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

**

* * *

**

Hours to write, seconds to review. Please, please review. I've seen so many people favourite the story yet I'm hardly getting any reviews.  



	16. Unhappy Birthday

**CHAPTER 16 – Unhappy Birthday**

Harry, Ron and Hermione had always known Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for beats and large, unfriendly animals, though Krystal had the liberty of never meeting any of Hagrid's beasts or pets.

In their first year, Hagrid had attempted to raise a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon in his tiny little wooden house.

And it'd be a long time before the three of them forgot Hagrid's pet three-headed dog he christened to "Fluffy." And if, as a boy, Hagrid had heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle,  
Harry was sure Hagrid would go to any lengths to get a glimpse of it. He'd probably thought it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long that he thought it'd deserve a chance to stretch its many legs; Harry could imagine a thirteen-year old Hagrid trying to fit a lead and collar on the giant spider. But he was equally certain that Hagrid had never meant to kill anyone, especially that little girl.

Harry also half wished he hadn't figured out how to work Tom Riddle's diary, because Ron,  
Hermione and Krystal asked him over and over what'd he'd seen that night in Riddle's memory.  
Harry was soon growing sick of telling them the same circular story, and sick of the long conversations after.

"Riddle _might _have got the wrong person." Said Krystal thoughtfully. "Maybe it was some other monster that attacked the girl?"

"How many beasts and giant monsters do you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully.

"We always knew Hagrid was expelled." Harry said miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out, otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have gotten that award of his."

Ron tried a different tack.

"Riddle really _does _sound like Percy – who asked him to grass on Hagrid anyway?"

"But the monster had _killed _someone, Ron!" Said Hermione. "And Riddle was going to go back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts." Said Harry. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here, either.

"You saw Hagrid down at Knockturn Alley during the summer though, Harry?" Hermione asked.  
"He was looking for flesh eating slug repellent." Harry said quickly. The four of them fell silent.

Then, Hermione voiced the knottiest question of all.

"Do you think we should ask Hagrid about all this?" Hermione said attentively.

"That would be a wonderful visit!" Krystal said with absolute sarcasm. "Can you imagine us asking...Hello Hagrid; tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy in the castle, lately?"

In the end, the four of them decided to not to say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack. And as more and more days went by, there was no whisper to Harry from the disembodied voice; they were becoming hopeful that they would never have to ask Hagrid why he had been expelled.

It was now nearly four months since the attack on Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick, and nearly everybody seemed to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good.  
Peeves had finally gotten tired of his "Potter you rotter" song, Ernie Macmillan asked Harry quite politely one day to pass him a bucket of jumping toadstools in a Herbology class.

And in late March, the mandrakes had thrown a loud and raucous party in the greenhouses. This made Professor Sprout very happy.

"The moment they start to move into each other's pots, they'll be completely mature. Then we'll be able to revive those poor people that were petrified in the Hospital wing."

* * *

In early April, the second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays; they had to select their Third Year subjects. It was a matter that, Hermione at least, took very seriously.

"It could affect our whole future and career!" Hermione said as they poured over their papers and new subjects, marking them with ticks.

"I just want to give up potions." Harry said gloomily.

"We can't." Krystal said. "We have to keep all of our old subjects."

"I'd have ditched Defence against the Dark Arts." Ron said.

"It's very important!" Hermione said, shocked.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it. The only thing I've learned is to not set pixies loose."

"He _what?_" Krystal asked Ron, bewildered.

"He set a cage of Cornish pixies loose in our first lesson with him. Nightmare, it was." Harry said grimly.

Hermione was ticking every single subject box on the piece of paper.

"I'm signing up for everything!" Hermione said, with a wry smile on her face.

Harry had a very random thought and wondered what would happen if he tried to discuss what he wanted to do with his wizarding career with his Aunt and Uncle.

Not that he got any guidance anyway, except for Percy Weasley who insisted that he chose his subjects to what he was interested in, and to play to his strengths.

"It really depends on where you want to _go _Harry; my brother had a passion for dragons and the like, so he went for Care of Magical creatures. But I feel every single person should study Muggle Studies, as most people might end up by working with them. So do what you feel you're passionate  
about, Harry."

But the only thing Harry felt he was good at was Quidditch. In the end, he decided to pick the same subjects as Ron, so if he was rubbish at them he'd had someone to help him out.

* * *

The next Quidditch match was on the end of Easter holidays, on the same day as Krystal's birthday.

"My birthday's always at a rubbish time of year." She said sadly. "It was always at the end of a holiday. Can't remember the last time I had my birthday on a holiday or weekend."

Harry was determined to make Gryffindor win on the day of the match. The training sessions were getting better, or at least, drier. And the evening before Saturday's match, he went upstairs to drop off his broomstick in his dormitory, he felt like Gryffindor could win the house cup for the first time.  
His cheerful mood wasn't there for long, and at the top of the Gryffindor staircase, he met Neville Longbottom who was looking pale and frantic about something.

"Harry!" he gasped with wide eyes. "I don't know who did it...but..." Neville pushed open the door.

The contents of Harry's trunk had been thrown everywhere. His cloak lay ripped on the floor. The bedclothes had been pulled off his four-poster and the drawer had been pulled out of his bedside cabinet and the contents had been thrown out onto his bare mattress.

Harry walked over to his bed, open-mouthed, treading on a few loose pages off _Travels with trolls._

As he and Neville walked over to pull the blankets back on Harry's bed, Ron, Dean, Krystal and Seamus came in. Krystal swore loudly.

"What the hell happened, Harry!" Dean asked, immediately bending down to help pack up his things.

"No idea." Said Harry.

But Ron was examining Harry's robes. All the pockets were hanging out.  
"I don't think any hater had done this." Krystal said, looking at Harry's robes. "Someone has obviously been searching for something."

"Is anything missing?" Ron asked, looking at all the books and clothes on the floor.

Harry started to pick up all his things and throw them into his trunk.

It was only when he threw the last of his books did he realise what was missing.

"Tom Riddle's diary is gone." Harry whispered to Krystal.

"_What?" _

Harry jerked his head towards the door.

"We should go down and tell Hermione about this, she doesn't know." Harry nodded at Ron, who followed him and Krystal out.

Hermione was sitting alone, reading a book called "_Ancient runes made easy."  
_  
Hermione looked aghast at the news of Harry's room being searched.

"But – only a Gryffindor could have stolen it. Nobody else knows our password."

"Exactly." Said Harry.

* * *

The next day, the Gryffindors woke to terrific sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.

Harry only remembered dimly that it was Krystal's birthday and immediately shot out of bed, cursing himself that he hadn't gotten anything for her – but what could he have given her?

It was still early, but loud shouting and chattering could be heard downstairs.  
Harry put on his scarlet and gold Quidditch robes and headed downstairs.

Krystal was on top of Fred and George's shoulders with them chanting Happy Birthday to her.

There was a banner on the walls with "_Happy Eleventh Birthday to Krystal – Fearless Fairy and Rebellious Transfer Student who never fails to blow something up at the end of every week!" _

Krystal hopped down off Fred and George's shoulders when she saw Harry.

"Hey, you!" Harry said happily, his nerves for the upcoming match disappearing. "Happy Birthday!  
I'm sorry I couldn't find you anything..."  
Krystal waved her hand. "Being with you and having friends was the only thing I could have asked of you!"

Harry smiled down at her.

"This is actually my first ever party. We've been partying for at least an hour with all this food and drink Fred and George stole from the kitchens. We're also having another party after the match."

"Cool." Said Harry.

The four Gryffindors went down to the Great Hall for breakfast together, Krystal being very loud and chatty.

As Harry watched everyone sing "Happy Birthday" to Krystal loudly, and everyone load up their plates with bacon and eggs, he wondered if the new owner of Riddle's diary was right before his eyes, sitting at this table.

"You should report it, you know." Hermione said quietly.

"No point, Hermione." Harry sighed. "I'd have to explain everything to them..."

Exactly; he'd have to explain where he found the diary, how it had magic powers...

As he left the table with Ron, Hermione and Krystal to go and collect his broomstick for the match, another, very serious worry added to Harry's growing list. He had just set foot up the marble staircase when he heard it yet again; '_Kill this time...let me rip you...tear...'  
_  
He shouted aloud and the other three Gryffindors jumped away from him in alarm.

"The voice!" said Harry, looking over his shoulder. "I just heard it again – didn't you?"

Ron and Krystal shook their heads, wide-eyed.

Hermione, however, clapped her hand to her forehead.

"Harry – I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"

And she sprinted away, up the stairs.

"_What_does she understand?" said Harry distractedly, looking around and trying to find where the voice had come from.

"Loads more than we do." Ron grumbled, shaking his head.

"But why has she gone to the Library?" Harry asked.

"Because that's what Hermione does." Krystal said. "When in doubt – go to the library."

Harry stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now leaving the Great Hall, chattering excitedly about the match.

"You better get moving." Ron said. "It's nearly eleven – the match."

"Yeah." Harry said offhandedly, a voice not like his own.

"Good luck, Harry." Krystal said as Harry raced up the marble staircase.

Harry ran up to Gryffindor tower to collect his Nimbus Two Thousand and joined the large crowd swarming across the crowd, but his mind was still set in the castle, along with the bodiless voice.

As he pulled on his scarlet robes in the changing rooms, his only comfort was that everyone was outside, ready to watch the Quidditch game.

The two teams walked out to tremulous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the pitch as Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuff team was standing in a huddle below, having a last minute discussion of tactics.

Harry was just mounting his broom when Professor McGonagall came half-marching and half-running across the pitch holding an enormous purple megaphone.

Harry's heart had dropped like a stone in water.

"This match has been cancelled," she called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boo's and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, came gliding down to meet the Professor without getting off his broom.

"But Professor!" Oliver said. "We've got to play! The cup..._Gryffindor!" _

McGonagall ignored him and she said "All students please return to their house dormitories at once, where their Heads of Houses will give them further instructions. As quickly as you can please, no dawdling!"

She lowered the megaphone and beckoned for Harry to come over to her.

"Potter, I think you'd better come with me."  
Wondering how on earth he could have been suspected for anything this time, he saw Ron and  
Krystal detach themselves from the crowd and joined Harry and McGonagall as they set off towards the castle. To Harry's great surprise, she didn't object.

"Yes, perhaps you two had better come as well, Harmony, Weasley..."  
Some people were swarming around them, grumbling about the match being cancelled and other looked pale and worried.

Harry, Krystal and Ron followed McGonagall up the marble staircase. But they weren't being taken to anybody's office this time.

"This will be a bit of a shock." The Professor said in a very gentle voice as they entered the Hospital wing. Krystal clung to Harry's arm immediately, her nails digging into his robes. "There has been another attack...another _double _attack."

Harry's insides did a horrible somersault and held Krystal as they walked together, putting his arm around her shoulders, and Ron's face paled.

McGonagall pulled the doors open to the Hospital wing and the three Gryffindors entered with the Professor.

Madam Pomfry was bending over a girl with black curly hair and Ravenclaw robes on. And on the bed to her was...

"_Hermione!_" Ron groaned.

Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes wide open in shock and glassy.

Krystal or Harry didn't say anything, but their faces were identical to Hermione's frozen one; pure terror and shock.

"They were both found near the library." Said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them..."

She held up a small, circular pocket mirror.

The three of them shook their heads, still staring at Hermione.

"I will escort you three back to Gryffindor Tower; I need to address the students in any case."

* * *

"All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening.

No student is to leave their dormitories at that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice "I need hardly add that I have been so distressed. It is likely the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

She left and climbed some awkwardly through the portrait hole. All the Gryffindors started talking immediately.

"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw and one Hufflepuff!" said the Weasley twins friend, Lee Jordan, counting off his fingers.

"Haven't _any _the teacher noticed none of these victim's are Slytherins?" Fred said back to him, firing up.

"The _heir _of Slytherin, the _monster _of Slytherin – why don't we just chuck out all the Slytherins?"  
Krystal shouted and roared. Everyone started cheering and applauding.

Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for one he didn't seem to want his views heard, or tell off anyone. He was looking pale and stunned.

"Percy's in shock." Ron said to Harry. "That Ravenclaw girl that was Petrified – Penelope Clearwater – She's a prefect. He didn't the monster would have _dared _to attack a Prefect!"

But Harry was only half-listening. He couldn't get rid of the horrifying picture of Hermione, lying in the hospital wing, as though she was carved out of stone and her face in a terrified expression as though she was being tortured. And if the culprit wasn't caught soon, he was looking at a lifetime living with the Dursley's, and Krystal would either have to go back to her former school or be transferred somewhere else around the world.

Tom Riddle had turned Hagrid in because he was faced of the prospect of staying at the Muggle Orphanage if the school had closed. Harry knew exactly how Tom Riddle had felt, all those years ago, all too well.

"What're we going to do?" said Ron quietly in Harry's ear. "D'yeh think they suspect Hagrid?"

"We've got to go talk to him." Krystal said. "I don't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time, he'll know where Chamber of Secrets is and how to get into it, and that's a start."

"But McGonagall said to stay in our tower unless we've got class..." Ron said.

"I think..." Harry said more quietly to the two of them. "It's time to get my father's old cloak out again."

* * *

Harry had inherited just one thing from his long lost father; a long and silvery invisibility cloak. It was their only chance of sneaking out to visit Hagrid without being seen or noticed.  
The three of them went to bed at the normal time.

Ron had decided not to go visit Hagrid, as he felt it would look too suspicious if both Harry and Ron were discovered not in bed – they would be immediately suspected.

So, in the end, Krystal decided to join Harry and who wanted to get into a bit of trouble and some sort of adventure.

Harry had to wait nearly an hour before Seamus, Dean and Neville to stop talking about the Chamber of Secrets and possibilities and finally fall to sleep before he got up quietly and dressed himself and went down stairs with the cloak in his hands, meeting Krystal who was waiting beside the fire.

"Let's go." She said, and they both threw the cloak over themselves.

The journey through the dark and deserted corridors wasn't enjoyable. Harry, who had wondered around the castle after hours many times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset.

Teachers, Prefects and ghosts were all marching or gliding through the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity.

Their Invisibility cloak didn't stop the two Gryffindors making any noise, for Krystal had stubbed her toe on a corner of a wall through her open-toe sandals merely yards away from where Snape was standing guard. Thankfully, Snape had sneezed at almost the exact same time Krystal had sworn and cursed her throbbing toe.

It was a massive relief when they reached the oak doors through the entrance hall and had almost ran out towards the Hut at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

They both pulled off the cloak, and Krystal tucked it neatly in her bag that was slung around her shoulders.

Seconds after Harry knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face to face with him aiming a crossbow at them, Fang the boarhound barking loudly behind him.

"Oh!" he said, lowering the crossbow and staring at them. "What're you two doin' here?"

"What's _that _for?" Krystal almost screeched, pointing at the crossbow.

"Nothin', nothin'..." He muttered. "I've been expecting...don' matter, I guess. C'mon in and sit down. I'll make tea."

He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Hagrid, are you alright?" said Krystal gently. "Did you hear about Hermione?"

"Oh, I heard alright." Said Hagrid with a slight break in his voice.

He kept glancing nervously out the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he forgot to add teabags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate, when there was a loud knock on the door.

Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Krystal and Harry exchanged panic-stricken looks and threw the invisibility over themselves and retreated into a corner.

Hagrid checked they were hidden completely, seized his crossbow and flung open the door once again.

"Good evening, Hagrid."

It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious and was accompanied by a second, very odd-looking man.

The stranger was short, portly looking man with unkempt grey hair and an anxious expression on his face. He was wearing a strange mixture of clothes; a pin striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and purple pointed boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler's hat.

"I think that's the Minister for Magic! Cornelius Fudge!" Harry breathed into Krystal ear. Harry had defiantly seen his face before, hundreds of times even in the _Daily Prophet. _

Krystal pinched his hand to make him shut up, but she too, was in awe of the man before them both.

Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of the chairs and looked from Dumbledore to the Minister.

"Bad business, Hagrid, very bad business..." said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things have gotten far enough and Ministry's got to act."

"I never!" said Hagrid looking at Professor Dumbledore imploringly. "You know I'd never, Professor Dumbledore, sir..."

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence, Minister." Said Dumbledore who was frowning at Fudge.

"Look, Albus," said Fudge who was looking uncomftorble. "Hagrid's record is against him. Ministry's got to do something – The school governor's been in touch."  
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you taking Hagrid away from Hogwarts will not help in the slightest." Said Dumbledore who's eyes were blazing with fire Harry had never seen before.

"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty..."

"Take me?" said Hagrid who was trembling. "Take me where?"

"For a short stretch only." Said Fudge, not meeting the other man's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, just a precaution. If someone else is caught you'll be let out with a full apology..."

"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid. His eyes were full of pleading.

Before Fudge could answer there was another loud rap on the door.

Dumbledore answered it. It was Krystal's turn to get pinched by Harry; she'd let out an audible gasp.  
It was the blond man Krystal had bumped into twice before – the horrible feeling of thinking she knew him washed over her as she looked into his face.

Mr Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid hut, swathed with a long, black travelling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile.

Fang, Hagrid's dog, had started to growl.

"Already here, Fudge?" he said approvingly. "Good, very good..."

"What're you doing here?" Hagrid said furiously. "Get out of my house!"

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all being inside your – er – D'you call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small wooden cabin. "I simply called by at the school and was told that the Headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

"_Dreadful _thing, Dumbledore." said Mr Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment. "But the governors feel it's time for you step aside. This is an Order of Suspension – you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, was it not? At this rate, there'll be no more Muggle-borns left in the school, and we all know what an _awful _loss would be to the school."

Harry heard a faint cracking sound beside him – Krystal was cracking her knuckles – a furious expression on her face.

He gave her a small warning look as if to tell her not to say or do anything.

"Oh, now see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed. "Dumbledore suspended...no, no...last thing we need now..."

"The appointments – or suspension – of the headmaster is a matter of the governors, Fudge." Said Mr Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks..."

"Now, look, Lucius, if _Dumbledore _can't stop them," said Fudge, who's upper lip was sweating now, " I mean to say, who _can?"  
_  
"That remains to be seen." Said Mr Malfoy, with a nasty smile on his refined face. "But as all twelve if us has voted..."

Hagrid had leapt to his feet, his shaggy black bear head grazing the ceiling.

"An' how many did yeh have to threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?"

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble these days, Hagrid." Said Mr Malfoy. "I would advise you now to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

"Yeh can't take Dumbledore!" Yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper softly in his basket.

"Take him away and the muggle-borns won't stand a chance! They'll be killins' next!"

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. He looked at Lucius Malfoy.

"If the governors want my removal, I shall of course, indeed step aside."

"But...!" Stuttered Fudge.

"No!" Growled Hagrid.  
Dumbledore, however, had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold grey ones.

"However," said Dumbledore, speaking slowly and clearly, so that none of them could miss a word.

"You will find that I will have truly gone from Hogwarts none here are loyal to me. You also find that those who need help will be given help, for those who ask for it at Hogwarts."

For a second, Harry was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered to the corner where He and Krystal stood, hidden.

"Admirable sentiments." Said Malfoy, bowing. "We shall indeed all miss your –er – highly individual way of running things. Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any – ah – _killins'."  
_  
He strode to the cabin door, opened it and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler's hat, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground and said with a deep breath and said carefully "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have to do would be ter follow the spiders. That's lead 'em right. That's all I'm saying."

Fudge stared at him in amazement.

"All right, I'm coming." Said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly "An' someone will need to feed fang while  
I'm away."

The door banged shut and Krystal pulled the Invisibility cloak off.

"We're in trouble now." Harry said. "No Dumbledore. The might as well close the school tonight.  
There will be an attack a day with him gone!"

Fang started howling and scratching at the closed door.

"Worst birthday of my life, not counting the time I was given chores to do as my birthday celebration last year." Krystal sighed, and then said "I hate that Lucius Malfoy."


	17. The Trail of Spiders

**CHAPTER 17 – The Trail Of Spiders**

Summer was creeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alive turned periwinkle blue and flowers as large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the large castle windows, striding across the grounds with Fang at his heels, the scene didn't look right to Harry; no better, in fact, than the inside of the castle where things were so terribly wrong.

Harry and Ron had tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred off from the hospital wing.

"We're taking no more chances," Madam Pomfry, the matron said through a crack of the door to the hospital wing severely, "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance that the attacker might come back to finish these people off..."

With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread like never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen that the school didn't look worried and tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors was shrill and unnatural and was stifled quickly.

Harry constantly repeated Dumbledore's last words to himself...

"I _will only have truly left the school when no one here is loyal to me...Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it..."  
_  
But what good were those words? Who exactly where they supposed to ask for help when they were just as scared and confused as everyone else?

Hagrid's hint about following the spiders was far easier to understand – the trouble was, there didn't seem to be a single spider left in the school to follow.

Harry looked everywhere he went, with Krystal helping out as best as she could and (rather reluctantly, Ron too.)

They were hampered, of course, by the fact that they couldn't go out on their own any more but had to move around in a pack with the other Gryffindors.

Most of their fellow students seemed glad that they were being shepherded from class to class by a teacher, but Harry found it very irksome.

One person, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had been appointed Head Boy. Harry, Krystal nor Ron seemed to know what he was so pleased about until the Potions lessons about a fortnight later after Hagrid and Dumbledore had left Hogwarts when sitting right behind Malfoy, Harry overheard Malfoy gloating about it to Crabbe and Goyle.

"I always thought my Father would be the one to get rid of Dumbledore." He said, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst Headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen. Maybe we will get a decent Headmaster now. Someone who won't _want _the Chamber of Secrets closed, someone who _wants _the muggle borns out of the school. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in."

Snape swept past Krystal, Harry and Ron who were sitting quietly in their usual workspace, not really talking, and the Potions Master not making any comment about Hermione's empty seat or cauldron.

"Sir," said Draco loudly. "Why don't _you _apply for the Headmaster's job?"

"Now, now, Draco." Snape said, though he couldn't suppress a thin-lipped smile. "Professor  
Dumbledore has only been suspended by the school's governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."

"Yeah right," said Malfoy, smirking himself. "I expect you'd have father's vote if you'd wanted to apply for the job. I'll tell father you're the best teacher here, sir..."

Snape smirked as he swept off around the dungeon and went back to his desk, fortunately not spotting Seamus as he was pretending to vomit into his cauldron."

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags and gone already, I bet you five galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't that ugly Granger girl..."

The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; At Malfoy's last few words Ron had started to make furious movement towards Malfoy.

Krystal and Harry both grabbed one of his arms to try and hold him back.

"Let me at him!" Ron growled, trying to shake them both off his arms. "I don't need my wand, I'll kill him with my bare hands!"

"Hurry up!" Barked Snape at the front. "I've got to take you all to Herbology!" And the class set off crocodile fashion towards the greenhouses, with the Slytherins in the front and the Gryffindors bringing up the rear.

It was only safe to let go of Ron when they reached the Greenhouses and Snape was safely out of sight.

The Herbology class was very subdued, as there was now two missing from their number; Justin and Hermione.

Professor Sprout put them all to work pruning Abyssinian Shrivelfigs.  
Harry went to tip a bucketful of withered stalks into the compost heap when he suddenly found himself face to face with Ernie Macmillan. The Hufflepuff took a deep breath and said, very formally, "I just want to say, Harry, that I'm sorry I ever suspected you. I know you'd never attack Hermione Granger, and I apologise for all the stuff I said. So, I guess we're in the same boat now, so..."

Ernie held out a pudgy hand, and Harry shook it.

Ernie and his friend, Hannah Abbot came to work at the same table with Krystal and Harry.

Sitting next to Ron who was working on a different Shrivelfig with Dean and Seamus.

"That Draco Malfoy character, he seems very pleased about all this nonsense, doesn't he? Do you know, I think he might be Slytherin's heir."

"That's clever of you." Krystal said slightly sarcastically. She obviously didn't seem to be on the forgiving side of things yet.

"Do you think it's Malfoy, Harry?" Ernie asked Harry.

"No." Harry said so firmly, so that Hannah and Ernie stared.

Krystal nudged him in the ribs. "Remember? We don't know anything." She said in an undertone to him.

A second later, Ron who was sitting next to Krystal, jumped almost a mile in the air in his seat and accidently dropped his knife clumsily on top of Krystal's hand so that a gash was on top of fist, making her bleed slightly.

"_Ouch! _Ron, what's-?"

Ron pointed at a few large spiders that were on the ground, scuttling away from them.

"Oh yeah," Krystal said to him, sucking on her bleeding finger. "But we can't follow them yet..."

Krystal nudged Harry again and pointed to the spiders.

"Looks like they're heading for the forbidden forest..." Harry said quietly.

Ron looked pretty unhappy about all this.

At the end of the lesson, Professor Snape came down to take them all to Defence against the Dark Arts, Krystal, Harry and Ron lagging behind so they could talk in private.

"We'll have to use the invisibility cloak." Harry said to them both. "And we'll take Fang with us; he's used to doing all these kinds of things with Hagrid, especially. He might be some help."

"Right." Said Ron, who was twirling his wand between his fingers nervously. "Aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?"

Harry didn't answer the question, but Krystal did say "I haven't seen one, but there are centaurs and unicorns. They're all right. I've always patted the unicorns and talked a bit with the centaurs. It's because we're both part-humans, see."

Ron had never been in the forbidden forest before, but Harry had been in there once and hoped he would never have to do so again.

Krystal had obviously been in there multiple times, so she'd be the preferable person to take.

Lockhart had bounded into the room and the class stared at him. Every other teacher in the place was looking grimmer than usual, but Lockhart was nothing shorter than buoyant.

"Come now!" Lockhart cried, beaming at them all. "Why all these long faces?"

A few people swapped exasperated expressions but nobody talked or said anything.

"Don't you people realise..." talking slowly as though they were all a bit dim. "That the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away!" Lockhart said as he walked around the classroom, as if to present a marvellous speech.

"Says who?" Krystal said loudly.

"My dear young girl, The Minister for magic wouldn't have taken away Hagrid is he wouldn't a hundred percent certain he was the prime suspect and was surely guilty." Lockhart said, bending down to Krystal's desk and her level and speaking in a tone as if to say one and one made two.

"Oh yes, he would." Krystal said harshly.

"I flatter myself that I know a _touch _more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Miss Harmony."

Krystal started to say she didn't think so, but was stopped when Harry kicked her hard in the shin.

"We weren't there, remember?" Harry said in a harsh whisper.

But Lockhart's disgusting cheeriness rang through the class, saying he knew it was Hagrid and how he knew he was the culprit all along, his confidence that the whole nightmare was over, irritated Krystal and Harry so much, that instead of throwing their books at Lockhart's stupid face, Harry passed Krystal a note saying "_Let's do it tonight, we can't afford to wait any longer."  
_  
Krystal looked at him and nodded.

She then looked at Hermione's empty seat, which almost brought tears to her eyes. She wanted to take revenge for Hermione, and she was going to get it.

* * *

The Gryffindor common room was always very crowded these days, because from six o' clock onwards the Gryffindors had nowhere else to go. They also had plenty to talk about, which meant the common room didn't empty till well past midnight.

Harry went to get his Invisibility cloak right after dinner, which meant he spent the entire evening sitting on it in the common room that night while waiting for the common room to clear.

Fred and George challenged the trio to a few games of exploding snap, and Ginny sat watching them in Hermione's chair very quietly. Harry, Krystal and Ron tried losing on purpose to get the few games out of the way as quickly as possible, but even so, it was well past midnight until Fred, George and Ginny finally retired and went to bed.

Ron left with them, mouthing 'good luck' and went upstairs. Krystal and Harry made sure they heard the door's shut before they pulled out the invisibility cloak beneath the chair.

Krystal wrapped the cloak around them both and climbed through the portrait hole.  
It was another difficult journey through the castle corridors, dodging all the teachers and the ghosts, plus Percy Weasley whom Krystal wanted to kick as they passed him.

As they finally reached the Entrance Hall, they slid back the lock on the oak doors, trying to prevent and creaking or any sort of sounds, stepped out onto the moonlit grounds.

"Well," Krystal said abruptly. "What if they're not even there? They might have been going somewhere else..."

They reached Hagrid's hut with a sad and sorry look to it, and went inside it. When Harry pushed the door open, Fang bounded on them both and started to lick his ears.

Fang started to bark and jump in happiness.

"He's too loud!" Krystal said. "What if he attracts attention from the professors?"

Krystal looked around, nearly frantically and spotted a tin.

She pulled out a piece of treacle fudge and fed it to the dog, which glued his teeth together.  
Harry folded up his invisibility cloak and put it on Hagrid's kitchen table, knowing they won't need it in the dark forest.

"Come on, Fang." Harry said. "We're going for a walk." The dog happily bounded out after the two Gryffindors as they both left, heading for the forest.

Both Harry and Krystal lit up their wands with a quiet "_Lumous"_, and both looked around on the path ahead of them.

Harry nudged Krystal and pointed his wand at two solitary spiders that were hurrying away from the light of Harry's wand and into the shade of the trees.

"Alright." Krystal sighed, prepared for the worst. "I'm ready, let's go."

So, with Fang at their heels, sniffing tree roots and bounding around happily, they followed the spiders and entered the forest.

By the glow of both of their wands, they followed the trickling path of spiders ahead of them. They both walked in silence for about twenty minutes, with Krystal, who had transformed and was in the air, checking for any danger ahead, the trees started getting thicker.

Harry wasn't really paying much attention to the spiders on the floor, but he was looking above him, watching Krystal who was almost like a firefly with her wand lit in her hand and a faint trail on sparkling dust trailing behind her as she glided along the trees.

Soon, he saw her land not so far ahead, and she called out "The trees are getting too thick – I can't see a damn thing!"

Harry ran to catch up with her as she landed on the ground, though still with her wings.

Indeed, the stars above them were no longer visible. Harry's wand shone alone in the sea of dark, they saw their spider guides leaving the path.

Harry paused, trying to see where the spiders were going, but everything outside was just pitch black. He had never been this deep inside the forest before. He could vividly remember Hagrid telling him not to leave the path last time he'd been in here. But Hagrid was miles away, possibly sitting in a cell in Azkaban right now, but he also said to follow the spiders.

Something wet touched Harry's hand and jumped a mile, but only realised it was Fang's nose.  
"What do you reckon?" Krystal said to Harry, who's eyes she could just make out in the vivid darkness.

"We've come this far." Harry said firmly.

So they followed the darting shadows of the spiders into the trees. They couldn't move very quickly now, as the trees were as thick as ever and there were also tree roots and stumps in their way, barely visible through the pitch dark blackness. Krystal could feel Fangs hot breath on her hand, as she tried to comfort the animal to keep coming with them. More than once, Harry had to bend down to see where the spiders were in the impenetrable darkness.

Harry squinted through the floodlit grounds for a second for signs of more spiders.

"We've lost the trail," Harry said after about half an hour, snagging his robes on the tree stumps again.

"Come on, Krystal. Let's go and find them again."

Krystal didn't speak. She didn't move. Her eyes were fixed about ten feet above the forest floor, her face showing the emotion he thought he'd never see on her face; fear.

Harry didn't have time to turn around. There was a loud clicking noise and suddenly he felt like something long and hairy had seized him around the middle and lift him off the ground so that he was hanging face down. Struggling, terrified, he heard more clicking as he heard Krystal's feet leave the ground and her screaming and by the whimpers next to him, a third monster had gotten Fang.

Head hanging, Harry saw that the thing carrying him was marching on six immensely large legs, the front two legs clutching him tightly and he could just spot a pair of black shiny pincers.

Behind him, he could hear the marching of the other creatures, no doubt carrying Krystal and Fang.

"Get off me! Let me GO!" Screamed Krystal's voice was all he heard for about ten long, terrifying minutes.

Craning his neck to try and see what was going on, he could see he was being dragged into some kind of vast hallow, a hallow which had been cleared of trees so that stars shone brightly over the worst scene Harry had ever clapped his eyes upon.

Spiders.

Not spiders, like the ones they spotted in the Greenhouses earlier that were the size of the palm of your hand, but spiders the size of carthorses. Eight eyed, eight legged, black, hairy gigantic. The massive specimen that was carrying Harry made its way over to the steep slope, towards a misty domed web in the very centre of the hallow, while it's fellows clicked excitedly at the load it's friend was carrying.

Harry fell on all fours, next to him fell Krystal, who was panting slightly, and then came Fang, who whined and froze.

Krystal looked exactly how Harry felt. His mouth open in some kind of silent scream and his eyes were popping with fear.

Harry suddenly realised that the spider was saying something. But, with the spider clicking it's pincers on every word it said.

"Aragog!" the spider said. "Aragog!"

And from the middle of the misty domed web came a spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very slowly. Krystal held onto Harry's arm very tightly, almost bruising him.

There was grey in the body of hair and long legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head was milky white. He was blind.

"What is it?" he said, clicking his pincers rapidly as he spoke.

"A boy, fairy-girl and a dog." Said the spider which had caught Harry.

"Is it Hagrid?" said Aragog, moving closer and his white eyes moving vaguely.

"Strangers." Said the spider with had caught Krystal, and was clicking his pincers threatingly as she tried to move away from under his feet, still holding Harry's hand.

"Kill them." Aragog said fretfully. "I was sleeping."

"We're friends of Hagrid's!" Krystal shouted. Her heart seemed to have left her chest and was in her  
throat, pounding madly.

Click, click, click went all the pincers of the spiders all around in the hallow. Aragog paused, as though in thought and then said;

"Hagrid has never sent people to out hollow before." He said slowly.

"Hagrid's in trouble." Harry said quickly, his breathing becoming faster. "That's why we've come."

"In trouble?" said the aged spider. Harry thought he heard concern beneath the clicking pincers.  
"But why has he sent you?"

Harry thought of getting to his feet, but thought against it; He didn't think his feet could support him at the moment, but held on to Krystal's hand tighter, trying to get some confidence into his shaking voice.

"They think up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting something...something on students. He's been sent to Azkaban, taken by force."

Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, but this kind of applause made both Krystal and Harry sick to the stomach with fear bubbling inside them.

"But...but that was years ago!" Aragog said fretfully. "Years and years ago, I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. Because they believed I was the monster that dwells in what they call the chamber of secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and had set me free."

"And you...didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?" said Harry, who could feel cold sweat on his forehead.

"I!" sad Aragog who was clicking angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I come from a distant land. A traveller gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, a good man. When I was discovered and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness..."

Harry summoned what remained of his courage.  
"So you never...never attacked anyone?" Harry said, extremely nervous.

"Never," croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct t, but from my respect of Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was found in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and quiet."

"But then...do you know who _did _kill that girl?" Krystal said. "Because whatever it is, it's attacking people again and-"

Her words were drowned by a loud outbreak of clicking and the rustling of the many long legs shifting angrily and they all shifted around them.

"The thing that lives in the castle is an ancient creature that we spiders fear above all others. Well, I do remember how I pleaded Hagrid to let me go when I sensed the beast moving around the school."

"What is it?" Krystal said urgently.

More loud clicking, more rustling, the spiders seemed to be closing in...

"We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely, "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."

Harry nor Krystal did not want to press the subjects, not with the spiders pressing closer on all sides. Aragog seemed to be tired of talking, and was now moving slowly back into his doomed web.

"We'll just go then." Harry called desperately to the aged spider.

"Go?" Aragog said slowly. "I think not..."

"But, we-!"

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wonders so willingly into our midst. Especially fairies...Goodbye, friend of Hagrid..."

Harry spun around. Feet away, towering above him was a solid wall of spiders, clicking their many pincers and eyes gleaming in their ugly heads...

Even as Harry reached for his wand, and pulled Krystal behind him protectively, he knew it was no good as there were too many of them.

"Harry?" said a voice in his ear.

Harry nodded.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes." He replied instantly.

"Hold onto Fang's collar, now." She said.

Harry obeyed her, not knowing what she had in stall.

She grabbed Harry around the waist and kicked off hard front he ground, almost screaming in pain and she tried to lift Harry.

"Whoa!" Harry yelled, and Fang barked and whimpered.

Krystal managed to glide away very quickly as she heard the voices of the spiders saying "Forget them!"

"You alright?" Krystal asked as they could see Hagrid's hut from the air.

"Yeah," Harry called back.

They finally landed in the front garden of Hagrid's hut, and Krystal was panting on the ground in exhaustion.

Harry took Fang back inside to his home and wrapped him up in a blanket.

He grabbed the invisibility cloak off the table, and went back outside to find Krystal being violently sick in the pumpkin patch, clearly over exhausted from carrying so much weight.

"Follow the spiders!" Krystal said angrily as she wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her robes (Her wings had disappeared now) "I'll never forgive Hagrid! We're lucky to be alive!"

"I bet Hagrid thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his." Said Harry.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" Krystal said, almost shouting, thumping the wall of Hagrid's hut.

"He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they are, and now look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" she was shivering uncontrollably now.

"What was the point of sending us in there? What we found out, I'd like to know."

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber f Secrets." Harry said, throwing the cloak over them both and they both headed up towards the castle. "He was innocent."

Krystal gave a loud snort and said "Hatching a spider's egg from a cupboard? Not exactly my idea of innocent, Harry."

As the castle loomed nearer, Harry twitched the cloak to make sure their feet were hidden, and then they slid through the old oak doors and walked carefully across the Entrance Hall and up the marble staircase.

At last, they had reached the safety of the Gryffindor common room; the fire had burned itself into glowing ash.

Harry pulled the cloak off them both, and too tired to go up to their dormitories, they both collapsed onto the couches in front of the burnt-out fire. Krystal instantly asleep, but Harry was still awake, watching Krystal's chest rise and fall as she slept.

Harry was thinking hard about what Aragog had said to them – The creature was lurking in the castle somewhere, he thought, it sounded like a kind of monster Voldemort – even other monster were too afraid to mention it.

But he, Krystal and Ron were no closer to finding out what the monster was, or how it had attacked and petrified its victims. Even Hagrid had no clue what was in the Chamber of secrets.  
Harry sat back into the sofa, watching the moon shine out through the windows of the common room.

He couldn't see what else they could do. They had hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin and got off, and nobody could tell if it was the same person, or a different one, who had opened the chamber of secrets this time. There was nobody else to ask.

Harry lay down on the sofa opposite Krystal, still thinking about Aragog's words.

He was becoming drowsy when he thought their last hope was gone, but then something else occurred to him.

Harry bolted upright, and looked at Krystal and woke her up.

"Krystal! Wake up!"

Krystal woke with a yelp like Fang's, stared wildly around and saw Harry.

"Krystal – that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom." Said Harry very quickly.

"What if she never left that bathroom, what if she's still there?"

Krystal rubbed her eyes and then said

"Not..._Moaning Myrtle?"  
_


	18. The Chamber of Secrets

******This chapter is dedicated to dpbrianja who has been very supportive of my story ^^  
******

* * *

****

CHAPTER 18 – The Chamber of Secrets.

"All those time we were in that bathroom and she was just three toilets away, haunting the place..."  
Krystal said miserably at breakfast the next day. "And we had all those times to ask her, but now..."

It had been hard enough looking for those goddamn spiders. Escaping their teachers long enough to sneak into a girl's bathroom, the girl's bathroom moreover, being right next to the scene of the first attack was going to be next to impossible.

But something happened in their first lesson, Transfiguration, which drove the Chamber of Secrets,  
Aragog and everything else out of their minds for the first time in weeks.

Ten minutes into the class, Professor McGonagall announced there would be exams starting on the first of June, one week from today.

"_Exams?" _Howled Seamus Finnigan. "We're still getting _exams?_"

There was a loud bang behind Krystal and Harry's desk as Neville Longbottom's wand slipped and it caused him to vanish one of his legs. McGonagall restored it with a wave of her own wand and turned, frowning to Seamus.

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your magical education." She said sternly. "The exams will take place as usual; therefore, I trust you are all revising hard."

Revising hard! It never occurred to Harry, Ron or Krystal that there would be exams at the school in this state.

There was a great deal of mutinous muttering around the room, which made Professor McGonagall scowl at them even more darkly.

"Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible." She said, looking at them all. "And I need hardly pointing out that that means finding out how much you have learned this year."

Harry looked down at the pair of rabbits he was meant to be turning into slippers. Krystal had no trouble transfiguring them. Ron had always called her a freak whenever she could do something they couldn't.

Harry, thinking to himself, thought what _had _he learned this year?

He couldn't think of anything that would be useful in an exam.

Ron looked as though he had been told to go live in the Forbidden Forest and to mate with all of Hagrid's spiders.

"Can you imagine me taking an exam with this?" he howled at his wand, which had just started to whistle loudly.

* * *

Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made an announcement over breakfast.

"I have good news!" she said, and instead of the Great Hall staying silent, it erupted into noise and cheering.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" yelled several people joyfully, jumping up and down in their seats.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" roared Oliver Wood excitedly.

When the hubbub had subsided, Professor McGonagall said "Professor Sprout has just informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those poor people that had been Petrified. I need hardly remind you that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them, which may lead us to ending this dreadful year with catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering. Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and wasn't at all surprised to see that Draco Malfoy wasn't looking happy, or had joined in cheering.

Ron and Krystal, however, looked happier than they both had in days.

Krystal and Harry hugged each other tightly in delight.

"It won't matter that we didn't ask Myrtle then!" she said as they finally released each other.

"Hermione will probably have all the answers for us when she wakes up! Mind you, she'll be well mad when she finds out we have exams in three days time, she hasn't revised. Maybe it will be kinder to leave her there until all the exams are over."

Just then, Ron's little sister Ginny had sat next Ron. She was looking tense and nervous, and was twisting her hands in her lap.

Harry thought she reminded him of someone, but he couldn't think who...

"What's up?" Ron asked as he poured himself some porridge.

Ginny didn't say anything, but glanced up and down the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face.

"Spit it out." Said Ron, watching her intently.

Harry suddenly realised who she looked like. She was ricking backwards and forwards slightly in her chair, exactly like Dobby, the house elf that visited him over the summer holidays, when he was teetering on the edge of revealing forbidden information.

"I've got to tell you something." Ginny mumbled, carefully not looking at Harry.

"What is it?" said Harry.

Ginny looked as though she couldn't find the right words.

"What?" said Krystal, slightly impatiently.

Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Harry leant forward and spoke quietly, so only Krystal and Ron could hear him talking to her.

"Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Someone acting oddly?"

Ginny drew a deep breath and at that precise moment, Percy Weasley appeared looking tired and worn out.

"If you've finished eating Ginny, I'll take that seat. I've just got off patrol duty and I'm starving."

Ginny jumped as though she had received and electric shock and gave Percy a fleeting, scared look and turned her heel and ran away.

Percy sat down, grabbed the nearest mug and filled it with tea.

"Percy!" Ron said angrily. "She was just about to tell us something important!"  
Percy choked on his tea, halfway through a gulp and said

"What sort of thing?" he said, coughing and wiping the dribble of tea off his robes.

"Well, we asked her if she'd seen anything odd and she started to say..."

"Oh, that has nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets?" said Percy at once.

"How do you know?" asked Krystal bitterly.

"Well, er...if you must know...Ginny...er, walked in on me the other day when I was, well never mind, the point is, she spotted me doing something and I...um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must say, I did think she would have kept her word. It's nothing really... I'd just rather..."  
Harry had never seen Percy look so uncomftorble in his life.

"What were you doing Percy?" Ron said, grinning. "Go on; tell us, we won't laugh."

Percy didn't smile back.

"Pass me those rolls, will you, I'm starving."

* * *

Harry knew the whole mystery might be solved tomorrow without Ron, Krystal or his help, but he couldn't pass up the chance to speak with Myrtle if it ever actually turned up. And to their delight, it did.

Mid-morning when they were being taken to their History of Magic lesson by Gilderoy Lockhart.

Professor Lockhart, who had so often assured all the danger had passed, only to be proved wrong straight away, was now whole-heartedly convinced that it was hardly worth all the trouble to see them safely down the corridors. His hair wasn't sleek as usual; it seemed he had been up all night patrolling the fourth floor.

"Mark my words." He said, ushering them down around a corner "the first words those out of those poor Petrified people's mouth will be '_it was Hagrid_' Frankly, I'm astounded that Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures as necessary."

"I agree, sir." Said Harry, making Krystal trip up and Ron dropping his books in surprise.

"Thank you, Harry." Said Professor Lockhart graciously, while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass them. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students and patrolling the corridors ever night. I can't remember the last time I got a good night's sleep."

"That's right." Said Krystal, catching on. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go."

"You know, Harmony, I think I will." Said Lockhart beaming down at the small girl. "I should really be going, I better prepare for my next class. Take care, Potter." He winked at Harry, and left.

"Prepare for his next class?" Krystal sneered after him. "Gone to curl his fudging hair, more like..."

They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, and then darted down a side passage, heading towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom once more.

But just as they were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme...

"Potter, Weasley, Harmony! What are you doing?"

It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of all thin lines.

"We were...we were going to go and see..." Ron stammered.

"Hermione." Krystal said, and the three of them looked at her.

"We haven't seen her for ages, Professor." Krystal went on hurriedly. "And we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er...not to worry about anything."

Professor McGonagall was still staring at her, and for a moment, Krystal thought she was going to explode, but when she finally spoke, she had a strange croaky voice.

"Of course," she said, and Harry, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady black eye. "Of course, I realise this has been hardest on the friends that have been...I quite understand. Yes, Harmony. You may visit Miss Granger. I'll inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfry you have the Headmistress's permission."

Harry, Ron and Krystal walked away; hardly daring to believe they just avoided detention. As they walked, they distantly heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose.

"That," said Harry. "Was the best story you've ever come up with."

Krystal grinned weakly.

They now had no choice but to go down to the Hospital wing to visit Hermione.

The Matron let them in, but reluctantly.

"There's just no point in talking to a petrified person." And the three of them had to admit she was right when they were seated around Hermione's bed.

It was plain that the brown, bushy haired girl had no idea she had visitors, and that they might as well talk to the beside cabinet and tell them everything was going to be okay.

"I wonder...you know, if she did see the attacker though?" Krystal said, looking into Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he ever sneaked up on anyone, no one will ever know..."

But Harry wasn't interested in Hermione's face. He was more interested in her right hand.

It lay clenched on top of her blankets, and bending closer, he saw that a piece of paper was scrunched up in her fist.

Making sure Madam Pomfry was nowhere near in earshot, he pointed this out to the other two Gryffindors.

"Try and get it out." Krystal whispered, as she shifted her chair to block the Matron's view of Hermione.

It was no easy task – Hermione's hand was so tightly clamped around the piece of paper that it was surely going to rip. But at last, several minutes later, the piece of paper came free.

It was a piece of paper torn from an old library book.

"That's the kind of thing Hermione wouldn't do." Krystal said. "Ripping pages from a library book."  
Harry smoothed the piece of paper out eagerly and read in the torchlight.

_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, also known as the king of serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size, and live many hundreds of years, it's born under a chicken's egg hatched beneath a toad. It's methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are in range of its beam of its eye will suffer instant death Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crow of the rooster, which is fatal to it._

Beneath the note was Hermione's neat hand writing Krystal recognised._ Pipes.  
_  
It was as if somebody had whacked Krystal around her head with a mallet for her stupidity.

"My god..." Krystal said in absolute shock.

"Ron, Krystal!" Harry breathed. "This is it! This is the answer! The monster in the chamber is a _Basilisk – _A giant serpent! That's why I've been able to hear it when nobody else could, it's because I can speak Parseltongue!"

They all looked at the beds around them.

"The basilisk kills people by looking them in the eyes...But no one's died because nobody did look at it in the eye..."

"Not directly at least." Krystal said.

"So what did happen to them, then?" Ron breathed. "How come people have just, ended up petrified?"

"Okay, well...There's Colin." Krystal started. "He must have seen it through his camera...The basilisk just burned up all the film inside, but Colin just ended up petrified."

"Justin..." Harry said slowly. "He must have seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick, Nick must have gotten the full blast of it, but then again, he's a ghost so he couldn't die _again..."  
_  
"Hermione and that Ravenclaw girl were found with a mirror next to them! Hermione had just realised the monster was the basilisk, so I bet you she warned anyone she could to look around corners with a mirror first."

"And Mrs. Norris?" Harry finished.

"Oh...I never thought about that...all we saw was-"

"The water on the floor!" Harry finished for her.

"So...she only saw the reflection of the basilisk?" Krystal said.

"What else could there be?" Harry said.

Ron however, had spotted one last fault.

"How would that dirty great snake get around the place? Surely someone would have seen it?"  
_  
_Harry trailed off at the overload of information flowing through his mind.

"Hermione's answered that one too," Krystal said, pointing at Hermione's word written – Pipes.

"Pipes...using the plumbing! It's been inside the walls...And I thought it was something that could shape-shift." Krystal said, almost hitting herself.

Harry scanned his hand down the page with shaking hands.

"The crying of the rooster is fatal to it!" Harry said.

"Hagrid's roosters were killed!" said Ron.

"The heir of Slytherin didn't want anyone near the castle when the Chamber of Secrets opened. _Spiders flee before it! _It all fits!" Krystal said, her face looking nervous, but excited.

Then, she suddenly grabbed Harry's arm.

"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets! What if it's in a bathroom? What if it's in..."  
"...Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?" Ron finished.

The three of them sat there, excitement coursing through their bodies, hardly able to believe what they had just read.

"This means..." Harry started. "I can't be the only parselmouth in the school! Someone else must be controlling the basilisk! The heir of Slytherin must be!"

"What're we going to do?" Ron asked quietly, who's eyes were flashing. "Should we go straight to McGonagall?"

"Let's go to the staff room," Harry said, jumping up and grabbing his bag. "She'll be there in ten minutes, it's nearly break."

The three of them ran for it, downstairs and not wanting to be caught hanging around somewhere else in another corridor; they went straight in to the deserted staff room.

It was a large panelled room, full of wooden chairs and a long table.

Harry, Ron and Krystal, though breathing hard with fear, paced around the room, too excited to sit down.

But the bell signalling the start of break never came.

"What's going on?" Krystal asked, looking at the wooden clock on the wall. "The bell should have run about five minutes ago.

Instead, McGonagall's voice magically magnified around the castle walls.  
_  
"All students return to their house dormitories at once, all staff members please report to the staff room immediately."  
_  
Harry wheeled around and stared at the other two. "Not another attack? Not now?"

"No," said Krystal. "Let's wait in here and tell them what we've found out, this is too important!"

"We'll hide in here, and hear what it's all about, and then we'll tell them." Harry said, pointing to a large wooden closet that had all of the Professor's cloaks in it.

They hid themselves in it, listening to the rumbling of people moving over their heads and the staff room door banging open. From between the musty robes hanging around them, they saw the teachers file in and sit down, some looking scared and downright frightened.

Then Professor McGonagall arrived looking really pale.

"It has happened." She said, looking at them all. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right in to the Chamber itself."

Professor Flitwick let out a noise that sounded like a squeal, Professor Snape gripping is chair very hard and said "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin," she said, looking at them. "Has left another message. Right under the first one. _Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."  
_  
Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, sinking weak-kneed into a nearby chair. "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley." Said McGonagall.

Harry felt Ron slide down the wardrobe and hitting the bottom. Krystal had started to cry silently.  
"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow." Professor McGonagall said. "This is the end of Hogwarts, Dumbledore always said..."

The staff room door banged open again, and for one wild moment, Harry was sure it'd be Dumbledore, but it wasn't. It was Lockhart, and he was beaming.

"So sorry! Dozed off! What have I missed?" he said, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man." He said, sneering. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, and taken into the Chamber of Secrets, Lockhart. Your moment has come at last."  
Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy." Chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night you've know where the Chamber of secrets is all along?"

"I...well...I..." spluttered Lockhart.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

"Did I? I don't recall..."

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested." Said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and you should have been given a free rein from the first?"

Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.

"I never...I really never...You may have misunderstood."

"We'll leave it to you then, Gilderoy." Said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight would be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone is out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to his rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome any more. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usual toothy grin he looked weak-chinned and weedy.  
"V-very well." He said. "I'll – I'll be in my office...getting ready."

And he left the room.

"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared. "That's got _him_ from under our feet. The heads of houses should go and inform the students what has happened and tell them the  
Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing in the morning. The rest of you, make sure that no students has been left outside their dormitories."

The teachers rose, and left one by one.

* * *

It was probably the worst day of Krystal or Harry's life. Krystal, Harry, Ron, Fred and George all sat together in the corner of the Gryffindor tower, not being able to talk to anyone.

Krystal and Harry were hugging each other, Krystal crying and the former trying to comfort her.

Professor McGonagall had said Krystal had to return back to her old school tomorrow by Floo powder while Harry and the rest were being taken back home via the Hogwarts Express.  
Percy wasn't with them; he had sent a letter to his parents and had shut himself up in his dormitory and refused to talk to anyone.

No afternoon at Hogwarts had ever lasted so long as this one, nor had Gryffindor tower ever been so crowded yet so quiet.

Near sunset, Fred and George went up to bed, unable to sit there any longer.

"She knew something, Harry." Said Ron, speaking for the first time since they had been in the staff room earlier. "That's why she was taken. It wasn't about some stupid thing about Percy at all. She found out something about the Chamber of Secrets, that must be why she was...I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can't be any other reason."

Harry could see the sun sinking, blood-red, below the skyline. This was the worst he had ever felt. If there was only something he could do to help Ron. Anything.

"Harry," Krystal said quietly, sitting up properly. "Do you think there might be a chance where...you know?"

Harry didn't know what to say. He couldn't see how Ginny could still be alive.

"Do you know what?" said Ron. "I think we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and what's inside it."

Harry didn't have anything else to do, so he nodded. So did Krystal. The three of them headed out, and nobody stopped them.

Darkness was falling as they reached Lockhart's office. There seemed to be a lot of activity in there, scraping and banging could be heard.

Harry knocked and there was a sudden silence inside.

Then the door opened, and through the tiniest crack of the door, came Lockhart's baby blue eye.

"Oh, Mr Potter, Miss Harmony," he said, opening the door. "If you would be quick. I'm rather busy at the moment."

"Professor." Krystal said. "We have some information for you, we think it might help you."

"Well...I don't really know." The side of Lockhart's face looked very uncomftorble.

"Oh, well...alright." and he let them in.

His office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood on the floor. Robes of jade-green and lilac were stuffed into one, and books were messily sorted into the other.

The winking photographs of himself were now stuffed into a box on the desk in the middle of the room.

"Are you going somewhere?" Krystal asked, looking around the room wildly.

"Erm, well, yes." Lockhart said, ripping a life-size poster of himself off the wall. "Urgent call. Unavoidable. Got to go."

"What about my sister?" Ron said jerkily.

"Well, as to that. Most unfortunate." Said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as he wrenched open a draw and poured the insides into his bag.

"No more regrets than I."

"You're the defence against the dark arts teacher!" Harry said. "You can't go now! Not with all this dark stuff going on here!"

"Well, I must say, when I took the job..." Lockhart muttered, piling up his books. "Nothing in the job description...I didn't expect..."

"You mean you're running away!" Krystal yelled. "After all that stuff you did in your books!"

"Books can be misleading!" Lockhart said delicately.

"You wrote them!" Krystal shouted even louder.

"My deal girl," Lockhart said, now straightening up and frowning at the blond girl "Do you use your common sense? My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think I'd done all those things."

"So you've just been taking credit for what other people have done?" Krystal said, truly angry now.  
"You're a fraud!"

"Krystal, Krystal..." he said, shaking his head. "It's not nearly as simple as that. No, there was work involved. I had to track these people down and ask them exactly what they did and how they did it.  
Then, I would cast a memory charm on them and they'd never remember doing it at all. If it's one thing I pride myself on, its memory charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Krystal, darling. It's not all book-signings and photo-shoots. You want fame, girl. You're up for a long hard slog."

He banged the lids down on his trunks and locked them.

"Let's see." He said. "Ah yes, one more thing to do."

He pulled out his wand and pointed it directly at Krystal.

"What do you think you're doing!" Harry shouted.

"I can't have you blabbing about my secrets, particularly _her._" He said, coming closer to Krystal. "Or  
I'd never sell another book."

Harry reached for his wand just in time and yelled "Expelliarmus!"

Lockhart was blasted backwards, and thrown over his trunks. Ron caught Lockhart's wand and threw it out the open window.

"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one." Said Harry furiously, kicking one of Lockhart's trunk's aside.

"And wait till we tell the ministry you were threatening to curse a student!" Ron said hotly.

Lockhart was looking up at them, weedy once more.

Harry was still pointing his wand at him, and so was Krystal and Ron.

"What do you want me to do?" Lockhart asked weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is, there's nothing I can do!"

"You're in luck!" Krystal said. "Because we know where it is _and_what's inside it. Let's go."

Krystal stamped on Lockhart's stomach, hard. He stumbled to his feet.

They marched Lockhart out of his office, and down the nearest stairs, nearing Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

When they reached the depressing bathroom, they sent Lockhart in first. The three Gryffindors was pleased to see that he was shaking.

Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the end of the cistern end of the toilet.

"What do you plan on doing with me?" Lockhart croaked as they reached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Just going to use you as bait, seeing as you're no good with magic." Harry said, giving him a sharp prod on his back with his wand.

"Myrtle?" Krystal called out.

Myrtle came gloomily into the room, looking at the four people before her.

"What?"She asked, as though the scene did not disturb her.

"We need to ask how you died."Krystal asked.

"Ooohhh...it was dreadful."She began, as though she had never been asked a more flattering question.

"It happened right here..."She floated on top of the second from last toilet cubicle, "I died right here in this very toilet. I hid, because I was being teased about my glasses by this girl called Olive Hornby. I was crying for hours on end, and then I heard something strange, as if it were another language, and then I thought it was a _boy_who was there, so I unlocked the door to tell him to use his own toilet...and then I died. My body sort of seized up and then floated away." She looked dreamily at Harry while she said all this, as if she was at a very romantic dinner with him.

"How?" Harry asked her.

"No idea." Repeated Myrtle glumly. "I just remember seeing a great big pair of yellow eyes."

"Where did you see the eyes?"Harry asked her.

"Somewhere around here." Myrtle said, pointing towards the sink.

Harry went towards the sink, and turned the tap, it didn't move, and it had an engravement of a _snake_on the tap...

"That taps never worked..."Krystal muttered. "Every time when we were in here, and I went to the toilet and I went to wash my hands, that was the tap that never worked."

"This is it," Harry said quietly. "This is it guys. This is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."

"Harry," said Ron. "Say something...in Parseltongue."

Harry looked uncertainly at Krystal and Ron.

He could only speak Parseltongue if he was face to face with a real snake.

"Open up." Harry said, then looked over the others.

"English." Ron said, shaking his head.

Harry tried to will himself to believe that the snake on the tap was alive. He even moved his head to that the snake was shining through the candlelight, making it look like it was moving.

"Open up!" Harry said more confidently. Except that the words weren't what he heard.

A strange hissing had escaped him, and at once the tap that had the snake on it glowed, and a bright light began, and the sink was starting to spin...

They all stood back, as the sink with the broken tap lowered into the ground and made a tight squeeze into a small, dark pipe.

"I'm going down there." Ron said,

"Me too." Harry said and Krystal nodding her head to say she was too.

They all looked at Lockhart, who was still trembling.

"Well...I don't think you'll need me..." Lockhart said, making his way to the door.

Harry stood in front of him, his wand held at his chest, "You first, _Professor." _Harry said.  
_  
_"Brainless twits first." Krystal said from behind Lockhart.

Lockhart slowly made his way to the entrance, with three wands pointing at him, he really had no choice.

"Are you sure you don't want to test it first?" Lockhart said, but Krystal gave him a push, and then after about a minute they heard a thud.  
"Okay, you slimy-faced fraud?" Ron called down.

"Yes...just quite filthy down here though..." called back a distant voice from down the pipe.

"I'm out of here," said Harry.

Krystal nodded.

Harry gently lowered himself, his feet dangling down into the tunnel, and with a deep breath, he let himself drop down.

Ron followed after him.

"Krystal, when me and Harry are down there, we'll give you the signal to come down."

Krystal nodded.

"Be careful."

"If we don't call back after a minute from when I drop down, get a teacher."

She nodded again.

Ron, too, dropped himself down the tight squeeze.

Krystal waited, listening with baited breath, hoping that the monster wasn't waiting down there for them.

"Krystal!" shouted Harry. "It's all clear!"

Krystal hurriedly lowered herself down the pipe and dropped.

It was almost like sliding down a park slide, but this was far more eerie. The squeeze was tight, and it could make anyone feel claustrophobic.

And finally, she found her feet hit the ground, and she landed poorly and fell over onto what seemed to be sharp, snapped bones.

The sharp blade end of a bone had torn through her robes and cut her shoulder.

"Ouch!" she cried, picking herself up from the ground, and looking around for Harry and Ron.

"Krystal!" Harry said from behind her.

"You guys alright?" She asked them.

The three nodded, Harry still pointing his wand at Lockhart.

"Let's get moving, we're wasting time!" Ron said frantically.

"Remember," Harry said. "_Any _sign of movement close your eyes straight away.

They walked through an awkward cave, they must been miles under the school by the looks of the dark and slimy wet walls.

As they kept on walking, tumbling over rocks and trying to find any kind of sign of the Heir of Slytherin or Ginny, Ron grabbed Harry's shoulder.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"There's something up there!" Ron said quietly, pointing ahead.

They all froze.

By the looks of it, something long and green was right ahead of them, though not moving.

"The basilisk?" Ron said hoarsely.

Krystal, summoning up some bravery, transformed.

"I'll check it out."

She glided over to the thing on the ground, but it wasn't what they expected.

"It's alright!" she said to them. "It's only basilisk skin."

They all sighed with intense relief.

"Whatever shed this must have been over fifty feet long!" Krystal said, landing on the ground and inspecting the skin a bit closer. "Still looks damn real, though..."

Then, suddenly Gilderoy's knees had given way, and what looked like it, he fainted.

"Pathetic idiot." Ron sighed, kicking him.

Then, suddenly, Lockhart had tackled Ron around the knees, and took his wand.

Krystal dived forward, but too late, Lockhart grabbed her around the neck and was pointing the  
wand into her throat.

"The adventure ends here, boys." He said in triumph as Krystal was being slowly suffocated in Lockhart's grasp.

"I'll take a piece of this skin, and tell McGonagall how you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of the girl's mangled body. So..." his eyes averted to Krystal who was trapped under his arm.

"You first, fairy girl." He said with a wry smile. "Say goodbye to your memories!"

Harry stood there in shock, not knowing what he could do to save Krystal, but it was too late as he yelled "Obliviate!" at her.

Nothing happened, except Lockhart got thrown back and Krystal was thrown forwards with Harry catching her, away from Lockhart.

Then, all of a sudden, a faint trembling in the ground started.

Small rocks began to fall from the cave roof.

"Get on the walls!" Krystal said, grabbing Harry and Ron's hands and watched the rocks fall.  
"I'll try a shield!" Krystal said, and tried to focus her powers, but she couldn't do much; the boulders smashed her shield, and Ron, Harry and Krystal were separated from the avalanche of rocks.

All Krystal could do was hope was that the screaming and yelling were Ron and Harry being scared, not from Death's pain claiming them both.

"Harry!" Screamed Krystal.

"I'm good." Came a faint voice that Krystal recognised as Harry's, and he was on the ground next to him.

Krystal laughed out loud with relief.

"What do we do?" Came a voice that seemed quite close. "I'm trapped with the git in here! But he's knocked out."

"Ron!" Harry and Krystal both called.

"We're all separated!" Harry said.

Krystal looked around in the spot she was in, and then saw something up ahead.

"Harry, Ron...I think I can see...I'm not sure if it is..."

"What is it?" They both called back, Harry looked up ahead himself.

"I think it's the entrance to the actual Chamber!" She called back. "I'll go ahead, I'll get Ginny. Harry,  
Ron, shift that rock and try to get through. We're wasting time!"

"Alright!" Harry called back. "Let's try and shift this rock, Ron. Krystal...I..."

Harry was looking at her with some kind of longing.

"What?" she said. "I better get going."

Harry put both of his hands on her shoulders and said "Be careful, and _promise _you're coming back  
to us. To me."

Krystal swallowed hard and nodded.

Then, Harry did something he had never done before. He leaned in and kissed Krystal gently on the lips.

It was a moment one would ask that could last forever, as Krystal felt sparks between herself and Harry.

Harry released her and said "Good luck."

Krystal smiled and walked away.

As she walked, she finally saw a door with snaked decorated around it.

Krystal raised her hand and forced it to open by magic.

It opened, leading her to a different part of the chamber.

She grinned and said "Let's go kill some basilisks!"


	19. The Heir

**THIS CHAPTER IS HORRIBLE DX  
I wrote it over and over again, but it's just now how I wanted it. Meh. Try and enjoy the writing. I'm really sick btw so my writing will be lacking quality.  
**

* * *

CHAPTER 19 – The Heir

Krystal was trembling so bad from head to tie that she had to stop and take deep breaths, and think of Ginny and Harry to keep herself from breaking apart; she had never faced fear like this before in her life.

She spotted the door and climbed down a slippery ladder, she put one of her feet in the wrong place and slipped and fell and her injured shoulder splashed blood into her face. She groaned and noticed she had landed in a puddle of water and slime covering her feeble wings - she couldn't shake the muck off no matter how hard she tried...great, now she couldn't fly with the weight of the muck on her wings.

She was standing at the end of a dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars carved in giant snakes – fangs poised and open mouths as if they were hissing.

Could the Basilisk be hiding somewhere around a corner? And where was Ginny?

Every step Krystal took with her boots echoed loudly across the hall.

As she walked down the passage of the chamber she kept her eyes narrowed - ready to shut them at any sign of movement. The eyes in the snake pillars were so eerie, it was almost like they were watching her and for a horrible second she thought she saw one move.

Up ahead was a stone monkey-like ancient face caved into the wall, and below the horrible caring was a flaming red-haired girl Krystal recognised instantly.

"Ginny!" she cried, as she ran the rest of the way up the chamber and sank down next to the lithe frame on the floor. She shook her in hopes of rousing her, but she didn't seem conscious.

"Ginny! Wake up!" Krystal cried, her voice echoing around the room.

"She won't wake."Said a calm voice.

Krystal looked up, and there was a boy, wearing plain Hogwarts school robes.

It wasn't who Krystal expected.

"Who are you?" Krystal said, raising her wand.

The boy laughed and just stared at her.

"What?" Krystal said.

"Maybe you'd like to know how Ginny got like this." The boy said, looking down at the lifeless Ginny.

Krystal frowned – he seemed to calm. In fact, he seemed to find the situation funny. Could he be...?

"Yes pixie, I am the Heir of Slytherin. In fact, I'm just here buying time for Mr. Potter to get here." The Heir of Slytherin said.

"What do you want with Harry?" Krystal said, clenching her fists.

"As much as I wanted him when he was a baby, girl. You see, when I chose Ginny for bait, I decided he didn't really pay much attention to her; so I chose _you..._A desire close to his heart. I knew you were his type. So  
I went all over the world, looking for good bait. When I was travelling Australia, I saw you...In that military school called Red Fountain. I liked you, the way you always showed everyone you were boss, and how you always _thirsted f_or control of others!" The boy smirked.

"How do you know about this? You're saying you-?"

"Yes girl, I fed you up with my rage, and caused you to let your powers release its full extent, making you angry and the smallest thing, so you'd hurt someone else. And, to my relief, you did. You got expelled and transferred...here." he said, as he looked around the Chamber.

So this boy...the Heir of Slytherin planted her here? Somewhere she didn't even belong?

"What did you want with me?" Krystal said, still on the ground, trying to rouse Ginny.

"I'm going to make you the next Heir of Slytherin. You're going to stand by me and watch Harry Potter die at my hands."

Krystal didn't remember anything from that point onwards, because all she heard was a spell muffled by her panic and her vision going hazy...

* * *

Harry used up all his strength, muggle and magic to shift the rock to free Ron and Lockhart the awkward space they were trapped behind .

After the hour of stressing and shouting, he managed to wedge Ron and Lockhart through a gap just big enough to free them. He saw the door ahead Krystal had spotted, already ajar.

"Ron! I'll be back soon!" Harry shouted and ran down the Chamber's hall and down a ladder.

When his feet his floor, he saw nothing but a huge stone head.

He slowly walked up the hall, and saw something light and rosy pink in the wet floor, that looked horribly like blood.

Hoping that it wasn't Krystal's blood that was staining his robes, he began a quicker pace, looking out for Ginny, and more importantly- Krystal.

He reached the end, and nearly tripped over something on the ground. Ginny?

Harry got on his knees in the bloodied water, and he shook Ginny awake, but it was to no avail she seemed lifeless.

He tried checking her pulse, but Harry didn't feel it.

"No! Ginny, wake up!" Harry sobbed.

"Again...a foolish person just happens to wander in my Chamber and think everything will be okay." Said a voice that Harry found familiar.

He looked around, and saw Tom Riddle, in Hogwarts uniform...but it was different to Harry's.

Apart from the blood on Tom's robes, he looked quite calm and kind.

"Tom? Tom Riddle? What are you doing here?" Harry said.

"Exactly what your little girlfriend said to me, oh how _miraculously alike_you two are. I knew I picked the right person for you, Potter." Tom said, eyeing Harry with some sort of hunger.

"What?" Harry was sure he misheard everything.

"Maybe you'd like to know, how Ginny got like this and maybe you'd like to know a little more about your girlfriend."

"What do you know about her?" Harry hissed.

"More than you Harry, more than her, more than anyone. In fact, it was my plot to plant that little pixie here in the first place. She was bait for you until this moment Potter, I've possessed her, and she'll be the one to kill you."

On Tom went about his sick plan until he revealed one small speed hump.

"Wait a minute, how do you know about my past? I didn't exist in your time!" Harry said.

"Time...funny you should mention that. This place..."He looked around the Chamber "Is my past, present and future, Harry Potter."

He pulled a dark purple baton out of his robes, which was Krystal's wand, and began to trace in the air, writing three shimmering words;  
_  
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE_

Then Tom waved the wand once and, the letters began to rearrange themselves.

_I AM LORD VOLDEMORT_

Fear bubbled inside Harry like never before.

Harry gasped and stood back from Tom, or Voldemort whom he was standing with.

"Now Harry Potter, you will explain to me - how you survived eleven years ago. And I'll make it simple for you, if don't co-operate Potter, and you'll never see your pathetic little girlfriend again." He indicated the blood on his own robes.

"What did you do to her?"Harry screamed.

"Nothing _too_harsh, just enough to keep her quiet."

Harry felt his eyes wanting to leak, but Tom spoke, wanting to improve his slim chances of seeing Krystal ever again.

"Now Potter – talk. The more time you waste, the longer Krystal is in pain and the more life leaves Ginny." Tom said, a small grin on his face staring.

Harry wiped his eyes and looked Tom in the face, thinking what to say.

"I-I...no one even knows how I survived."Harry began. "My mother died to save me."

"A bit more information would do Harry."Tom tisked.

"It was believed that my mother's love put up a shield around my body protecting me. And...Then when you tried to kill me, you couldn't because mum hadn't left my side- not literally- but she was always there for me, in fact she is now." He finished off confidently.

"So it was love? Love that saved your life was it? Let's see love save you from this...Potter."

Tom clicked his fingers, and out came Krystal, walking slowly as though she was a robot controlled by a remote.

Her eyes were open wide, and her mouth was tight shut, though she was still in fairy form.

"Krystal!" Harry shouted. She looked perfectly fine, although she ignored him, and turned to the stone monkey-man, and, to Harry's horror, spoke in only the language Tom and Harry knew.  
_  
Speak to me Slytherin, the greatest of the Hogwarts four.  
_  
Krystal then robotically walked over to stand next to Tom Riddle, and suddenly, a cruel smile was on her face.

Riddle then spoke "Let's match the power of Slytherin's monster against the famous Harry Potter..."

Harry looked at the mouth of the statue man, its mouth was opening and Harry didn't want to see what was inside it.

The mouth opened, and came a horrible noise.

Harry knew what it was.

He ran.

Then, from a distance he heard Krystal's voice say "_kill him!"  
_  
Harry was slowly backing away from the statue, but when he reached the end and hitting the wall of the chamber, he heard a song...like a bird song...

He saw it was Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix he met only a few months ago.

The Phoenix dropped something on top of Harry's head.

He got given a hat, and the phoenix landed on his shoulder and started at the statue with no fear.

Harry didn't have a clue what to do...but as soon as he saw movement, he looked away.

He shut his eyes so tight that it began to hurt, he felt his way out of the hall into another room, he opened his eyes, and Fawkes went to fly off.

"Don't leave me!"Harry yelled at the flaming red bird. But what chance did the phoenix have against the King of serpents?

When he was about to run, he heard a horrible screaming noise, he ran back, and peered around the corner he was hiding around, Fawkes had destroyed the eyes of the serpent.  
_  
Well, that's an advantage for me..._Harry thought, and ran, knowing that if smaller serpents could smell out blood, he was sure that this one could smell him out if he was a mile away.

At least he didn't have to worry about the eyes.

He ran down the corridor, and came to an end.

He still had the hat...he crammed it desperately on his head and shouted "Help me! Please help me!"

Suddenly there was a strange feeling in the hat as though a giant hand was in the way, pushing his head aside, Harry took it off, and saw a ruby-encrusted hilt, he pulled and it became longer, Harry had pulled out a  
huge sword with rubies the size of eggs in the hilt.

Suddenly, he heard the snake behind him and turned around...He was right in the beam of its eye...but he never felt the feeling of Death claim him...Harry grinned, Fawkes had taken its power of killing.

Harry had lunged for the snake with the sword, missed, and felt its massive head knock him over.

He got up, grabbed the sword, and ran down towards Ginny, he suddenly saw an easy way to climbing the statue..._I could get better aim at its head if I was up there..._Harry thought to himself.

Tom Riddle was laughing at Harry, with Krystal standing motionlessly standing there beside him.

He climbed the head of the statue, dodging the blind snakes head. He got to the top, and drew the sword from his belt.

He brandished the sword at the head, making a few faint cuts...suddenly it lunged and Harry felt a missive amount of pain enter from his right elbow.

Harry stabbed the snake's head as soon as it lunged and bit him, it drew back, screamed and fell on to the ground, leaving Harry to pull out the fang in his arm and feeling the venom rapidly spread through his body.

Harry did his best to climb down, but the pain had taken over his whole body.

He was on the ground, spread-eagle and panting and feeling sick to the bone.

It must be Death.

"So ends the famous Harry Potter, killed by his own girlfriend. His mother had bought him twelve years of borrowed time...wasted. You'll be with her soon, Potter."

Harry let his eyes close, knowing that Krystal was watching him.

But was he dying? He felt it wasn't all bad...the pain was leaving him...Instead of his vision going black; his eyes were coming in to focus. Harry sat up slightly and gave his head a little shake, and there was Fawkes, resting his head on Harry's arm.

A pearly patch of tears was shining around the wound – except there was no wound.

"Get away bird! I said GET AWAY!" came Tom's voice.

Riddle pointed Krystal's wand at the Phoenix and with a bang, the bird flew off in a whirl of red and gold.

"Phoenix tears...Healing powers. Of course, I forgot."

Tom smirked and looked over at Krystal, who was still standing still like a statue.

"I like it this way, Potter...just you, me, your girlfriend and Ginny..."

Tom then walked beside Krystal and handed her over her own wand.

He then whispered into her ear "Kill him, girl."

Krystal slowly raised her wand, and in the same freaky robot manner, she walked towards him, smiling madly.

Harry backed away, still on the ground and calling "Krystal! Please!"

Then, someone thing dropped into his lap from over his head again. A diary. Tom's diary.

Then, without thinking, as though he meant to do it all the time, he plunged the nearby basilisk's fang into the diary.

Krystal froze in her spot, about a metre away from Harry. Tom started to scream, as a bright golden hole was punched in his chest.

Harry kept stabbing the diary with the fang, as Tom was dying, the diary seemed to be too, as ink poured like blood out of the diary and flowed all over the ground, staining Ginny's hair and Krystal's boots.

Tom was suddenly gone with a _pop_.

Krystal suddenly dropped to the floor, and Harry caught her just in time as Ginny began to stir from the ground.

Harry, with Krystal unconscious in his lap, looked around at Ginny who was starting to sit up.

Just then, Krystal sat up off of Harry's lap and looked around and saw him.

"H-Harry?" she said quietly.

"Krystal? You alright?" Harry asked her.

She nodded shakily.

"H-Harry!"Ginny sobbed. "I did it! Tom made me! Where is Tom? What happened to that thing?"

Harry grabbed her hand and Krystal couldn't help but feel slightly jealous.

They both heaved her up, and went looking back for Ron.

They walked back down the chamber's hall, and through the rocky cave.

"Ron!"Krystal called out.

"Krystal! Harry! Are you there! We made a passage way for you guys to get back in - did you get Ginny?"

"Ginny's fine!" Harry called out, and they let Ginny get out first, seeing as she'd been down there for several hours.

Once they were all back to the tunnel where they came to the tube slide where they came in from.

"How do we get out from here? The slide is too steep." Ron said.

They all looked at Krystal.

"Oh no."Krystal said, looking at them all "No bloody way are four people getting on my back."

"No, wait, what about Fawkes?"Ron said.

The Phoenix on Harry's shoulder seemed to be beaming at them.

"Of course!" Harry said. "Phoenix's can carry really heavy loads."

"Oh right."Krystal said, relieved. "I'll meet you guys up there..."

Krystal flew up the pipe. Krystal looked around, and saw Myrtle.

"You're alive? Where are the others?" Myrtle said, absolutely shocked.

"They're coming."Krystal said, looking back down uncertainly at the pipe.

"Oh."Myrtle said sadly, and they watched Harry, Ron Ginny and Lockhart land on the ground.

Fawkes flew out of the bathroom, leading them all to Professor McGonagall's office.

Krystal looked uncertainly at Harry and the others and knocked, and went in.

"GINNY!" Came a cry from a woman with red hair.

"Mum." said a small voice, under the woman's weight.

"Ginny, we thought you where...oh my god...how did you three do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know." said the voice of Albus Dumbledore.

Krystal looked at Harry, then at Ron.

"Who's going to talk? I think we all played a rather important part here..."

"You should start us off Krystal..." Harry said, as he placed the sword, the diary and the sorting hat on the desk.

* * *

Krystal had explained for what seemed like twenty minutes as she explained what Tom Riddle did to her to lure down into the Chamber.

"Well, I made it into the Chamber first, and then Tom Riddle possessed me. He wanted me to be the one to kill Harry and to give Tom my energy to restore Voldemort back to power."

Harry was feeling slightly sick after he talked about what happened.

"Very well...Mr and Mrs Weasley, you can take Ms Weasley to the Hospital Wing, older and wiser wizards have been hoodwinked. And I think Ms. Harmony should go in a minute too, after hearing that Voldemort possessed you, we need to make sure your memory hasn't been muddled." Dumbledore said

"I should be fine. Fawkes saved us both in the end." Krystal smiled up at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore patted Fawkes fondly.

"So, it all started with that diary...how interesting." Dumbledore said.

At the moment with the topic, in came bursting a man with long blonde hair...Lucius and beside him was...Dobby? Harry hadn't seen him since he got trapped back at the Dursley's.

"So! The culprit was caught!" Lucius began, pushing Krystal aside with his cane.

Harry glared at him, and remembered that Lucius was the one who put it in Ginny's cauldron in Diagon Alley the day he met Lucius for the first time.

"Well?" He said, looking around the room, as if expecting to see and answer wavering around the room.

"Who was it?"He demanded.

"The same person you would expect it to be." said Krystal.

"What?"Lucius snarled at her.

"Does the name Tom Riddle sound Familiar to you?"Harry spat at him.

Lucius rounded on him.

"No. Why would you think that Potter?"

"Because you're the one who gave Ginny that diary in Diagon Alley!"Harry said.

Lucius towered over Harry in a threatening manner.

"Why don't you prove it Potter?" he whispered.

"I don't think anyone can do that."Dumbledore said.

"Yes, we can."Krystal said, but at the time she spoke Lucius shouted "Shut it, Half-Breed!"

Krystal launched at him again, Harry grabbed her around the waist.

"Krystal!"Dumbledore and Harry said,

"I will not have you speak to my students like that, Lucius." Dumbledore said. "Insulting someone because of their blood or species is not appreciated."

Lucius and Krystal said nothing, but shot dirty glares at each other.

Harry let her go, and Lucius left the room.

"Professor, can I give that back to ?"Harry said, picking up the old diary.

"Yes Harry, but remember the feast."

Krystal and Harry ran out the room after Lucius.


	20. Dobby is Free at last

**Yay for pre-written chapters!  
I hope you enjoyed this story – I'm working on a sequel if you guys want to see it. It's based off the fourth Harry Potter book, because number three is just the same as it originally was, except Krystal's there. Number four is when everything changes though!  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed!  
(showers you all with cookies and hugs)**

* * *

CHAPTER 20 – Dobby is Free, At Last

Krystal and Harry ran as fast as they could with the old diary trying to find Lucius.

Harry had taken off one of his socks and placed it into the diary.

"What the-?" Krystal began but Harry cut her off and ran down the next hallway.

Finally, Krystal spotted the blond.

"!"Krystal puffed, and held him up, holding the diary, while clutching a stitch in her chest.

Harry looked at Dobby, with happy eyes, hoping he'd get the message.

"What?" Lucius spat at her, throwing the diary away, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Actually, I think you do." Krystal said simply. "Apparently you were the one to slip this into Ginny Weasley's Cauldron."

Harry however was paying no attention to the Conversation.

Krystal and Lucius stopped their bickering, and looked at Dobby too.

"Master has given Dobby a sock?"He said in his high-pitched voice.

"What? I didn't..." Lucius glared at Harry, who noticed he was missing one of his socks.

Dobby was holding up Harry's Gryffindor sock, covered in blood and slime.

"You lost me my servant boy!" Lucius shouted. He hit Krystal over the head with his cane and pulled his wand out and pointed it at Harry. Krystal eyes were streaming from the pain in her head. That cane was heavy - it hurt.

"No you don't!" Krystal snarled. "Expelliarmus!" she cried pointing her wand at the man and knocked him over with a sonic blast, leaving the man with his hair all over his face and flat on his back on the floor.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby!"The elf said to Harry. "Dobby will be forever grateful...farewell!"

With a click and a puff of smoke, the elf vanished, leaving Lucius looking furious.

"Your parents were meddlesome fools too, Potter." Lucius spat. "One day, hopefully, you'll meet the same sticky end they did."

"Yeah, thanks. Hopefully you before us, though" Krystal grinned.

Harry then pulled her away from the defeated man.

They both headed towards the Entrance Hall, chatting and laughing, though they were still covered in slime and blood.

* * *

Krystal had only been to a few Hogwarts feasts, though never one like this. Everyone was in their pyjamas, and the celebrations lasted all night. Krystal or Harry couldn't decide which the best bit was. Hermione running towards screaming to them "You solved it! You solved it!" or Justin coming up to him and endlessly apologising for suspecting him, or Dumbledore awarding Gryffindor house four hundred points to Krystal, Harry and Ron, making them win the Gryffindor cup for the second year in a row, or Krystal telling them she'd got a permanent place at Hogwarts after a meeting with Professor McGonagall, or Hagrid turning up at half-past three and hugging them all tightly or Lockhart not returning next year because he had to retrieve his memory, and quite a few teachers joined in cheering at this news. And to top it all off, Dumbledore had cancelled all exams as a school treat. The only person who didn't seem to be happy about this was Hermione.

* * *

The rest of summer term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal, with only a few small differences, all defence against the Dark Arts classes had been cancelled, and Lucius Malfoy had been suspended as a school governor (much to Krystal's delight) Draco was now no longer strutting as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. And Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home to Hogwarts. Harry, Krystal, Ron and Hermione got a compartment to themselves along with the Famous Weasley Twins.

They made the most of being able to use magic on the train, before they were no longer able to use it again. They played exploding snap, set off more of Fred and George's fireworks and practised disarming each other; Harry was getting very good at it.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny, what did you see Percy doing that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh that." Ginny said, giggling. "Well, Percy's got a _girlfriend."  
_  
Fred dropped a stack of books on top of George's head.

"WHAT?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater." Said Ginny. "The one he was writing too all summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. So, anyway, I walked in on them kissing one day and he got so upset when she was attacked. You won't tease him though, will you?" she added anxiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it!" said George, sniggering.

The Hogwarts express finally stopped at Kings cross.

Harry pulled out his quill, and wrote it three times, and handed it to Krystal, Ron and Hermione.

"This is called a telephone number." He told Ron. "I taught your dad how to use a telephone  
over the summer, he'll know. Call me at the Dursley's, okay? I can't stand only having Dudley to talk to for two months..."

And with that, the four of them walked back into the gateway of the Muggle world.


End file.
